[dspillett]

They may have heard a sound, assume they may be about to be discovered, and just scarpered with what the already had in their hands (which just happened to be the laptop).

[PavlovsCat]

I would still consider that more of a freak occurrence than dishonest journalists, and much more than spooks being dumb.

[fnordfnordfnord]

Could've been another journalist, someone working for a news-agency, or someone hoping to sell it to a news-agency / a gov't.