Charleston Airport Screener's Device Recovered; Computer Found on Charlotte Flight

An airport security screener's missing handheld computer was found Wednesday on a flight from Charleston to Charlotte after the plane landed, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration said.

Screeners at Charleston International Airport last saw the iPAQ computer about 5 a.m. near a podium used by a security checkpoint manager, said Christopher White, a TSA spokesman. Authorities failed to recover the computer after public announcements near the checkpoint and in the terminal. They later determined the device may have been taken onto U.S. Airways Flight 2226, which departs at 6 a.m. daily.

"We identified a flight from Charleston to Charlotte and contacted TSA officials in Charlotte to prepare to reverse screen passengers on that flight," White said. "The passengers walked off the plane and we quickly located the PDA on a seat."

Airport police made no immediate arrests at either end. The Charleston County Aviation Authority, however, continued to investigate the theft, a police report states. The property was returned on a flight to Charleston.

The stolen iPAQ is used by TSA officials in the course of their work, White said. Without a password, it's impossible to access information stored on the device, he said. The flight wasn't diverted and its schedule was unaffected.

Reach Noah Haglund at 937-5550 or at [email protected]

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