SAN DIEGO -- This story has been updated from its original text.

On Friday, Feb. 11, 2005, 10News broke a story based upon information from numerous sources working along the U.S./Mexico border. The report concerned a laptop that was stolen from the Border Patrol office in Imperial Beach.

The long-time sources told 10News that Border Patrol personnel were being interviewed by U.S. Navy intelligence officers in regards to the laptop. They also described the laptop as a prototype developed to provide access to surveillance video from remote cameras along the border.

It was described as a "top secret" project with homeland security applications. The tipsters said it was developed by SPAWAR, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in San Diego.

10News filed an open records request with the government for further information but had no idea how long it would take for the request to move through official channels nor if the government would provide what was requested.

10News was also concerned about "sitting" on the story and not telling the public what they learned in a timely manner. On Feb. 11, 2005, the Border Patrol confirmed there was an on-going investigation but they could not comment further. 10News decided to report what they heard.

On Feb. 14, 2005, the Border Patrol contacted 10News to clarify what they called misstatements in our original report. 10News requested it in writing and were told only a verbal statement would be made. The following was what 10News was told.

"In late December 2004, Border Patrol agents at the Imperial Beach station discovered that a government owned laptop computer was missing. The laptop was purchased as test equipment for a video surveillance program. The technology, which was in the testing and troubleshooting stage, is used to receive video from remote locations. There were multiple safeguards built into it to prevent the disclosure of any material. The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection has strict guidelines on the type of information that may be stored on a laptop computer. The Border Patrol followed these guidelines when setting up this computer. It was a single application device and there no connectivity with department of homeland security information systems. It contained the computers basic operating system and video software. All the video program is important technology, it's loss does not pose a threat to border security.

The Border Patrol is currently conducting an investigation into the missing computer and appropriate action will be taken at the conclusion of the investigation."

Sometime after the statement was read to 10News, SPAWAR's public information officer Tom Lapuzza e-mailed 10News. He was concerned about some "serious errors" in the original report. Lapuzza provided 10News further information on the missing laptop.

The organization actually providing the computer hardware and software to the Border Patrol is Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego (SSC San Diego), another Navy command reporting to SPAWAR, commanded by a Navy captain and headquartered in San Diego under various titles since 1940.

Lapuzza says, the laptop which was missing was an unclassified piece of hardware, and at no time did it ever contain top secret, secret or even classified information of any kind. It had no information on "how the borders are protected."

It was, as stated somewhat correctly in your story, "part of a prototype surveillance system." It controlled the movement (pan and tilt) of cameras positioned along the border to allow officials to monitor such things as illegal entry into the country.

The computer only controlled movement of the cameras; images collected by the cameras were sent elsewhere. The equipment was in place when SSC San Diego personnel were at the Border Patrol office on Dec. 23, 2004. Later, there was some equipment malfunction, and Border Patrol officials shut down the system over Christmas. When they returned Dec. 27, 2004, they found the laptop, which is an ordinary Dell laptop computer, missing and reported the disappearance that day to SSC San Diego program officials.

SSC San Diego personnel immediately changed the software program for camera movement, rendering the laptop powerless to perform even its camera control function. It is our belief the laptop was stolen for its intrinsic value.