Police confirmed that a laptop and cell phone stolen during a now-infamous September mugging at the Pond in which a physician was tied to a tree are involved in a breach of patient information.
Brigham & Women's Hospital notified patients this week that some of their information had been compromised.
The hospital said the robbers forced the doctor to give up the pass codes to the devices. No Social Security numbers or financial information was breached, hospital officials said in a statement.
The data contained on the devices included information of 999 patients who received treatment at BWH’s Neurology and Neurosurgery programs between October 2011 and September 2014, as well as a small number of individuals participating in research studies. The data on the devices includes patient names or partial names, and may also include one or more of the following: medical record number, age, medications and information about diagnosis and treatment.
But while Brigham & Women's would not confirm if the laptop and phone in question were the same ones stolen in a Sept. 24 mugging at the Pond, Boston Police confirmed the link on Thursday.
The muggings put the Pondside neighborhood on high alert and brought a heavy police response. Police made two arrests in a Franklin Park robbery with striking similarities to the pond muggings in early October. Police said Thursday they believe there is some kind of link between the Franklin Park and Pond incidents, though no further charges have been added to the ones against the alleged muggers.
Previous coverage on Jamaica Plain News:
- Police Vow to Keep Up Extra Patrols Until Pond Muggers Caught
- Armed Robberies at Pond Spark Emergency Community Meeting
- Victim Tied to Tree at Pond as Armed Robbers Strike Twice
- Bicyclist Robbed of Laptop, Phone and Cash at Jamaica Pond