A laptop containing the bank account details of 75,000 Bord Gais electricity customers has been stolen, it was revealed tonight.

The energy company confirmed that the laptop – which was not encrypted – was one of four taken during a burglary at its Dublin offices 12 days ago.

Gardai said they are investigating the incident, which happened on Friday June 5.

But the company did not publicise the theft until now as it claimed gardai were investigating a particular line of inquiry.

“As the Gardai pursued inquiries, Bord Gais Energy, on the basis of a risk assessment, did not publicise the incident as it may have hampered the investigation,” said a spokeswoman.

“Since the burglary Bord Gais has worked closely with the Gardai, the Data Protection Commissioner and the Irish Banking Federation.”

The stolen laptop featured confidential information on customers who recently transferred their supply from the ESB during Bord Gais’s highly publicise Big Switch campaign.

Yesterday it was revealed that the Health Service Executive (HSE) and gardai were investigating the theft of 15 laptops in Roscommon town.

The HSE confirmed tonight that information on one unencrypted laptop contained sensitive details relating to a social worker’s case notes involving nine families.

“The HSE deeply regrets any upset caused to the individuals affected by this robbery and appeals to those who stole the laptops to return them at any Garda station,” said a HSE spokeswoman.

“We will now endeavour to personally inform all of the families and individuals involved and offer a personal briefing tomorrow with local HSE staff.

“They will be given a letter advising them in relation to the theft of the laptop and the compromised information.”

The HSE said it took the issue of data protection extremely seriously.

“At any time there are 5,400 active laptops in the HSE – so far 91% have been encrypted,” said the spokeswoman.

“While 100% encryption is the organisation’s stated goal and the process to encrypt is ongoing, it must be appreciated that the HSE is a very large and complex organisation with many laptops dispersed throughout the country in hospitals and remote community based settings.”

Fine Gael communications spokesman Simon Coveney said the incident was the latest in a long list of fiascos which must result in all sensitive customer data being encrypted.

“Another day, another stolen laptop, another fiasco when it comes to personal data,” he said.

“Consumers need greater protection and Fine Gael wants to strengthen the Data Commissioner’s hand by introducing mandatory encryption of all sensitive personal data carried portably.”

Labour’s Liz McManus said the failure of Bord Gais to adequately secure the personal and confidential information of customers was completely unacceptable.

“The loss of four laptops, including containing the details of some 75,000 customers may be excusable, but the abject failure to encrypt the customer details on the computer is not,” said Ms McManus.

“It seems that information including customer bank account number and bank branch code was stored on the computer.

“There is now a serious risk that the information could be sold on by the thief, to organised criminals who will use the information to defraud the Bord Gais customers.

“In a week when 15 HSE laptops were stolen from an office in Roscommon, it is clear that companies and other agencies who store peoples information on laptops, are not exercising the necessary vigilance.”