Data on 90,000 stolen with laptops

MILWAUKEE - More than 90,000 people nationwide have been affected by the theft of laptops with personal information about current and former employees of Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc.

A letter sent by the St. Louis-based brewer to the Florida attorney general said the laptops, stolen in June, contained personal information on nearly 87,500 residents, including current and former employees, and more than 3,000 people involved in employee assistance programs, either as recipients or providers.

The state of California was notified that nearly 55,000 of its residents were affected, said Abraham Arredondo, a spokesman for the attorney general's office there.

In all, residents in at least six states are involved.

More than 4,500 people in Virginia and New Hampshire are also affected, according to reports from their attorneys general.

The missing data included Social Security numbers, addresses, dates of birth, and other information, according to the Florida letter, which was given to The Associated Press by the Florida attorney general's office.

Anheuser-Busch has declined to say how many people were involved or in how many states. But attorneys general in six states have confirmed either they or their residents were notified of the thefts. The states involved are: California, Florida, New Hampshire, Virginia, Missouri, and Texas.