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The Anchorage Daily News has a follow-up article on the subject:
Impounded laptop leaves surfer less linked (Andrew Welner; 3/1/07)

From the article:

Brian Tanner said he has significantly curtailed his Internet use since police impounded his laptop computer after spotting him using an unsecured wireless network outside the Palmer Library last week.

He shares a home computer with his parents, but when he needs lots of time online these days he often checks his e-mail and surfs the Web on public computers – at the Palmer Public Library.

“I couldn’t log on this weekend because they’re closed,” Tanner said Tuesday.

Police talked to Tanner, 21, Feb. 18, after spotting him in the library parking lot after hours. They’d chased him away the day before and advised him that what he was doing could constitute theft of services.

When they spotted him a second time, they impounded his laptop to search and see what he’d been downloading. Palmer Library director Pat Kilmain said Tanner broke no library rules that day. During the day, anyone in the library can use the wireless service for free. At night, the wireless signal is usually turned off.

Tanner happened across it during a brief period of a few days when it was left on while technicians installed a timer. Since then it’s been turned off at night.

“We haven’t seen fit to need rules since we don’t ordinarily have it turned on,” Kilmain said.

Still, though she said it’s not something strictly enforced, “it’s a city ordinance that you’re not supposed to be in the parking lot after hours.”
--Snip--

That makes a little more sense. More at the link.