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MacDill computer thefts may have gone unnoticed

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 31, 2002


TAMPA -- Some of the computers stolen during the summer from the military center coordinating the war in Afghanistan might have been gone almost two months before anyone noticed, the Air Force said.

TAMPA -- Some of the computers stolen during the summer from the military center coordinating the war in Afghanistan might have been gone almost two months before anyone noticed, the Air Force said.

Four laptop computers were taken from U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base between June 13 and Aug. 9, according to a new statement released Tuesday by the Air Force.

Two were taken from a Secure Compartmented Information Facility, where some of the command's most closely guarded secrets are kept.

Air Force Capt. Ken Hoffman, a MacDill spokesman, said two Palm Pilots were taken, and a hard drive containing highly classified information was stolen between Aug. 1 and Aug. 9.

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