DNR Says Worker Improperly Accessed License Data

ST. PAUL (AP) - The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says it's notifying about 5,000 people after an employee accessed their driving and motor vehicle records without authorization.

The agency said in a statement Tuesday that the employee is no longer employed by the DNR. Spokesman Chris Niskanen says he can't elaborate on that.

The DNR says it has asked the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate. No charges have been filed so far.

The DNR says its own investigation found no indication the data was sold, disclosed to others or used for criminal purposes. But the agency is advising the 5,000 affected people to monitor their credit reports.

DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr says his agency is looking into ways to monitor access to private data to ensure this doesn't happen again.

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