Posted on the FOB Tacoma blog at 9:34 a.m. Friday

That missing Army laptop containing personal information on about 800 or 900 soldiers? Nevermind.

Tumwater police told our sister paper, The Olympian, on Friday morning that they had recovered it last Saturday or Sunday, and that it was returned at some point Thursday to “the owner” – not sure yet whether that means the Army or the Army personnel staffer who left it in his unlocked truck at home in Lacey. By Friday, it was in Fort Lewis’ possession.

Tumwater police said it did not appear that any data had been accessed. Fort Lewis officials confirmed that, saying that the computer and external hard drive were examined by computer forensics experts.

“The robbers apparently tried to access the laptop, but were unsuccessful, and the external hard drive containing the soldiers’ information had not been accessed since the last time that it had been used by the Fort Lewis employee,” according to a statement from Joseph Piek, a post spokesman.

“It’s also worth noting that the routine security measures installed on the laptop computer prevented the efforts of the robbers to get access to the laptop,” the statement continued.

Tumwater police told The Olympian that they were called to the Motel 6 there on Saturday afternoon by a 17-year-old male who wanted to report his wallet stolen. Long story short, he wound up under arrest and booked into juvenile hall under suspicion of possession of stolen property and other offenses.

Tumwater detective Jennifer Kolb said police found numerous items, including the laptop and hard drive, from recent car prowls in the Tumwater and Lacey area in his car and at a home where he’d been staying recently.

Michael Gilbert, The News Tribune