Credit monitoring deadline approaches BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer Scott M. Pezarras BRICK TOWNSHIP - Employees whose personal informationmay have been compromised this fall have until Jan. 11 to sign up for free protection services. As of late last week, 301 out of the 510 eligible employees had signed up for seven years of identity theft monitoring services, said Township Administrator Scott M. Pezarras. At least three e-mails have been sent to employees who have access to the township computer system. Their department supervisors were notified of the time limit on the offer and should have notified anyone who does not have access, Pezarras said. The township also offered help to employees who needed it to sign up for the service, which will be provided through Experian, a major credit-monitoring agency, he said. Why haven't more than 200 employees taken advantage of the service? "Human nature," Pezarras replied. "I don't know what the psychology is behind that." The information that may have been compromised was stored in a laptop computer stolen from a township employee's home on the night of Sept. 19. Personal items were taken, along with the computer the employee had taken home, police have said. The information on the laptop did not include bank account or credit-card numbers, Pezarras said. The theft became a campaign issue in the mayoral race between now-Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis and then-Mayor Daniel J. Kelly. Acropolis blasted both Kelly and Pezarras for an eight-day gap between the time they knew of the theft and when they informed the employees that their personal data could have been compromised. Both Pezarras and Kelly said then that police asked themnot to reveal details about the theft, because if could compromise the investigation. Capt. Nils R. Berquist, who heads the detective bureau, confirmed at the time that police had recommended details of the theft "be limited." But he also said police never told anyone in the human resources department or the administration to delay notifying employees. Township officials estimated it would cost roughly $11,000 to provide the monitoring service for all 510 employees for seven years. Pezarras said if more people don't come forward and sign up by the deadline, the township will try and renegotiate a lower price with Experian.