The Federal Emergency Management Agency, commonly known as “FEMA,” reported recently that a laptop was stolen from the vehicle of a housing inspector.

The laptop computer contained the Social Security numbers, names, and other personal information of approximately 50 victims of the floods last September affecting Gary, Hammond, Highland, Griffith, and Munster, Indiana.

As reported in the Chicago Tribune, FEMA spokeswoman Cat Langel said, “the laptop was stolen in Griffith on Nov. 4, and immediately reported.”

Langel also noted that to this day, there have been no reports of identity theft related to the stolen laptop. FEMA has not issued a Press Release regarding this theft–not in November or March.

However, the agency only just began reporting the incident to potential victims this week. Langel mentioned that the delay was “necessary to identify those involved and provide identity theft services.” Read more from the article here.

Though the laptop was reported stolen immediately, and people are finally being notified, FEMA could have spared a lot of man-hours and worry had they equipped their laptop with MyLaptopGPS. Instead, 50 plus flood victims are currently at risk for identity theft.