(Image source from: Indian passports stolen in San Francisco )

Almost 70 Indian passports were stolen from a private company in San Francisco, according to reports. The company named BLS International processes visa and passport related services that were assigned the task by the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, US.

The San Francisco police department in investigating the incident that involves a serious breach of security as the passports can be misused.

The state department has been informed about the theft, both by the Indian Consulate and the San Francisco police. The incident took place in November last year at the BLS International's San Francisco Office.

The stolen passports have been cancelled by the Indian Consulate in San Francisco.

A consulate official reportedly said that the stolen passports cannot be misused as they are machine-readable throughout the world.

Local police had started investigation of the case on December 2, 2013. The passports were stolen from a locked safe along with cash and checks, according to a BLS employee.

(AW: Pratima Tigga)