Southwest City, Missouri officer Andrew Cummings is charged in McDonald County with felony theft. Authorities say he was working for Pineville police when the alleged theft happened in July 2007.
Court documents say Cummings confiscated the computer after a DWI arrest and then denied that he had it.
Police say Cummings then left the laptop at the Noel marshal's office to have software installed, which is where the police chief discovered it.
Cummings is free on $7500 bond.