SAN ANTONIO -- A laptop computer containing personal information of hundreds of teachers in the San Antonio Independent School District was stolen, prompting officials to warn educators to be on guard against identity theft.

The laptop was on loan to a district employee, who took it home over the weekend, when it was stolen from a car parked at a residence near Austin Highway and Rittiman Road, said SAISD Police Chief Michael Pimentel.

Personal information, including names, Social Security numbers and dates of births of teachers in pre-kindergarten through third grade were stored in the laptop, Pimental said. The information was not encrypted, which would allow unauthorized use of the data.

But Pimental said the laptop is password-protected and he doesn't believe the person who stole the computer was looking for personal information.

"We want that computer and are actively working to find it," he said.

Shelly Potter, of the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers Union, said "there's a lot of anger" among teachers, who found out about the incident through e-mails from the district.

"I think outrage would not be too strong of a word," she said.

Pimental said he is confident the laptop will be recovered and added that the school district is helping teachers protect themselves from identity theft.