A former Anoka County employee with a forgery conviction on her record was charged Thursday with talking her way into county Human Services offices on a weekend night, accessing vital confidential information of nearly 800 day-care providers and plucking modest items from workers' desks along the way.

Jan M. Gray, 53, of Champlin, was charged by summons with second-degree burglary, third-degree burglary and theft.

At one point on July 9, while Gray was in the building at 1201 89th Av. NE. in Blaine, she took some keys and got into cabinets holding information for 793 day-care providers, according to the complaint. That information included names, addresses, Social Security numbers and bank account and routing numbers, the charges continued.

At that point, a year had passed since her employment with the county ended, said county spokeswoman Martha Weaver.

According to the criminal complaint:

Gray appeared on the building's fourth floor about 8 p.m. on a Sunday night and told a custodian that she forgot her employee badge. The custodian let her in.

The next day, employees on that floor told their manager that various items were out of place or missing, chairs askew and drawers "rifled through."

Among the items reported stolen were an office chair, a sweater, a sweatshirt, vitamin bottles, an iPod docking station, a $5 bill and loose change, a book stand and keys on two rings. Also missing were three binders with paperwork that had belonged to Gray.

Once discovering that the day-care files had been accessed, the county spent nearly $500 to quickly notify the providers of the breach. Authorities say they have yet to hear whether any of the providers had their information used without authorization.

Gray told police she went to the office to retrieve her belongings, denied that she had been fired and said she stole nothing. Gray was not available Thursday by telephone to respond to the charges.

In May 2013, Gray pleaded guilty in Anoka County to aggravated forgery and fifth-degree drug possession. Her 366-day prison sentence was stayed, and she was placed on five years of probation.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482