Records deleted ahead of audit in Idaho

SUN VALLEY, Idaho – Someone with access to administrative computers in the central Idaho resort town of Sun Valley entered a fire station and deleted electronic documents and stole physical documents that are the kind typically used in a forensic audit to catch financial wrongdoing, city officials said.

Mayor Dewayne Briscoe said someone logged in at the Elkhorn Fire Station and targeted specific dates.

“It was an internal break-in,” the mayor said. “There was no evidence of external (access).”

The deletion of documents, emails and other correspondence occurred in February and March and just ahead of a citywide forensic audit that started Wednesday after city officials discovered financial irregularities.

Acting Fire Chief Ray Franco reported the missing records to police on March 7. Police said the investigation has been turned over to the Idaho attorney general’s office.

Briscoe said there are no suspects so far.

It’s unclear exactly what is missing, he said, but deleted or missing documents include work-hour and payroll records.