Well, I'd like to understand the police perspective better on why this might not rise to the level of a warrant. But I'm not totally sure I agree that if someo

Well, I'd like to understand the police perspective better on why this might not rise to the level of a warrant. But I'm not totally sure I agree that if someone falsified the evidence that there is not something to stop them. You're presuming the owner wouldn't be able to show evidence they had legal right to the laptop. If they can show that, the person making the false report I would expect to be in a huge amount of trouble. I also don't know what the process is, would the police search the house and give the laptop back if they found it. Or would they take it as evidence and only release it to the owner at some point in the future, if they can themselves show better documentation, and it's not disputed. I just don't know enough about how police operate, but I would expect there is a big reason not to falsify evidence in this way.