Police investigate confidential papers abandoned at care facility

Police in Lapland have opened an investigation into confidential documents left in an abandoned institution for people with intellectual disabilities, Yle reported.

The Lapland Police told Yle that the case is being investigated as a data protection offence. Such an offence can, for example, lead to identity theft.

Large piles of unopened letters and cabinets full of bank books from the early 1990s were left inside the deserted building. Yle has seen footage showing documents scattered throughout the premises.

The documents include letters from Kela and banks, which typically contain sensitive information such as personal identity codes.

Yle has not disclosed the building’s exact location because it is not known whether police have already removed the documents. The property is privately owned and can be entered through several open doors.

Not the first case

Similar cases have previously led to criminal investigations. In 2021, sensitive documents were found within a short period in vacant hospital premises in Pirkanmaa. They included private information about former hospital residents and documents containing staff members’ names.