Police: Voting machines stolen from polling location
ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - A multitude of agencies are investigating the theft of so-called express poll computers from an Atlanta polling place.
It's significant because those computers are used to check voters in to cast their ballots by checking against a database of every voter in the state of Georgia.
Voters at the Grove Park Recreation Center where the theft occurred were talking about more than their votes Tuesday after two of these machines known as express poll computers were stolen sometime overnight.
"Computer systems were stolen for the voting I'm a little upset about that but I see they got it back on track," said Tatanya Manson, a voter at the Recreation Center
Richard Barron, the director of Fulton County Registration and Elections says the two express poll computers were in locked boxes.
The machines are used to check in voters by checking their information against the data base of every voter in the state of Georgia.
"What's on there is name, address, date of birth that's visible on there. They are password protected," said Barron.
Barron said social security numbers are not part of the information on the express poll computers.
He said Atlanta Police, Fulton County Police and the Secretary of State's Office are all investigating the theft and loss of so much personal information.
Tatanya Manson said in today's cyber theft world, it's troubling.
"I am concerned about that yeah privacy is big so I'm really not real pleased about that," said Manson.
Atlanta police told FOX 5 News, officers responded to the Recreation Center around 12:30 a.m. on a burglar alarm.
One of the doors was found open but no one was inside. The burglary was discovered when employees arrived in the morning.
"They ransacked the kitchen area, they took a number of food items," said Sgt. John Chafee
He said along with food items the two express poll computers were also taken.
Sgt. Chafee said there is nothing to suggest any kind of election gear was targeted, adding it seems the burglars stole what they believe to be electronics they could quickly sell off quickly.
"It appears they may have thought they were going to turn this around for some money. Because they thought they were iPads? Because they thought they were electronics that would be worth something," said Sgt. Chafee.
Barron told FOX 5 News the express poll computers were brought in sometime Monday night according to the proper protocol to be left in place until the polls opened Tuesday morning.
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