Originally Posted by
DanishFlyer
On a different forum, a fellow Dane reported that he'd had a laptop removed from checked luggage by security at a US airport.
And that they held it, and after some hassle, he was able to get it back.
Usually security removes it and doesn't return it, and the traveler has to file a theft report, so he's lucky.
BTW, if this was security at the arrivals end, the US CBP takes the position that it may inspect and confiscate any computer/laptop entering the country, based on the theory that they may contain illicit material (e.g. pirated software, media content, or child porn).