The state Department of Education is warning parents at 18 Central O'ahu and North Shore schools to take steps to prevent identity theft after about $25,000 in cash and checks collected from the schools was stolen.

The money was taken March 6 from an armored car company's Astro van parked at McDonald's in Hale'iwa, the DOE said yesterday.

The driver was in the restaurant after finishing his daily run, the DOE said. The van is operated by Security Armored Car and Courier Service of Hawaii.

In a letter dated March 9, state Schools Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto advised people whose checks may have been among those stolen to call one of three nationwide companies to place a fraud alert on their credit reports.

The initial 90-day alert prevents someone from opening a new credit account with a stolen identity, the DOE said.

"The department continues to implement additional security safeguards and regrets any inconvenience to you as a result of this breach in security," Hamamoto said in the letter.

Affected schools are sorting out what was in their deposit that day and contacting people who had written checks, DOE spokesman Greg Knudsen said.

The department is addressing its security concerns with the vendor, Knudsen said. "The department wants assurances that this kind of breach in security doesn't happen again," he said.

Al Misajon of Security Armored Car did not return calls for comment. The DOE said the company is working toward reimbursing the schools.

James Brese, assistant superintendent of the DOE's Office of Fiscal Services, said the stolen money was from lunch sales, fundraisers and other daily collections.

"In light of this, we might try to go to full armored (car) services," Brese said, noting that such an upgrade would cost more.

Police Lt. Stanford Afong, supervisor of Wahiawa District burglary/theft investigations, yesterday said police have made no arrests in the case.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.