Personal identifying information of 2.2 million people who have been patients of the University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics or their guarantors over the past 16 years was stolen last week. But police and health officials are giving the thief a unique opportunity to return it without consequence.

The U. is offering a $1,000 cash reward, "no questions asked," for return of the data.

Law enforcement believes the thief did not know what was in the gray metal box when he broke a car window and took it, said Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder. If they have to track down the individual and the stolen material some other way, the penalties could be harsh, he added.

The records are in a form that is not easily accessible. A special computer application must be used to do so.

If, as law enforcement suspects, the thief is some kid "who engaged in a very stupid endeavor," then turning the metal box in with contents intact "is a way to solve the problem," said Tim Fuhrman, special agent in charge for the FBI.

The tapes containing a backup of the master patient billing record had been picked up by courier using a personal vehicle late in the afternoon on June 1, as part of a weekly transfer to storage. The backup is kept at a separate location in case of a disaster, such as fire or earthquake.

But instead of taking the tapes to Perpetual Storage Inc.'s facility in Little Cottonwood Canyon -- a secure vault under 200 feet of solid granite -- the 18-year veteran of the company took them home and left them in the car, parked overnight near 5200 South and 5000 West in Kearns. Sometime between 1:30 and 6:30 a.m., the car window was smashed and the box taken.

The Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office and the FBI are working together on the case, but the focus has now shifted to the university's efforts to notify patients so they can protect themselves.

Winder said the burglary was initially investigated as a simple car break-in until U. officials notified them of what, precisely, was contained on the data tapes. Among other things, the tapes held names, related demographic information and diagnostic codes, but no credit card information. It contained the Social Security numbers of 1.3 million patients and guarantors.

At that point, officers "re-responded" and the vehicle was processed for fingerprints. Deputies twice searched the neighborhood, hoping the thief believed the stolen item was a cashbox and discarded it when there was no money inside.