The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has placed an employee on administrative leave after the employee took home data on as many as 26.5 million veterans and some spouses and that data was stolen from the employee's home during a burglary.

The VA says the employee took home the data without authorization and in violation of its policies. The VA says the employee is on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation. The FBI and the VA Inspector General's office are investigating.

The stolen data contained identifying information, including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth.

"Authorities believe it is unlikely the perpetrators targeted the items because of any knowledge of the data contents," a VA statement said. "It is possible that they remain unaware of the information which they possess or of how to make use of it.  However, out of an abundance of caution, VA is taking all possible steps to protect and inform our veterans."