ID details of 26.5m veterans stolen

WASHINGTON - Personal data on 26.5 million US veterans was stolen from the home of a Department of Veterans Affairs employee authorised to take it home, the department said.

The data included names, social security numbers and dates of birth for the veterans and some of their spouses, although there had as yet been no indication it had been used for identity theft.

The electronic data related to everyone discharged from the United States military since 1975.

The FBI said the theft occurred in the Maryland area and is being looked at by the FBI's Baltimore field office.

Officials said equipment containing the data was stolen. A spokesman said: "The employee has been placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation."

- REUTERS