City officials turned over to the FBI a city-owned desktop computer that belonged to former Mayor Luke Ravenstahl after Mayor Bill Peduto's office learned the former mayor took it with him when he left office and held onto it for several days.

The mayor's office initially reported to the FBI that the computer was missing on Jan. 10, four days after Mr. Peduto took office. When it was returned, it was promptly turned over to federal authorities, said the mayor's chief of staff Kevin Acklin.

The FBI declined comment.

Mr. Ravenstahl referred comment to his attorney, Charles Porter, who said the former mayor took the computer because he was concerned the Peduto administration would move in, hide it and then concoct a story about it going missing.

"He didn't trust the administration, so he thought it prudent" to take the computer with him, Mr. Porter said, "so that people couldn't claim any derogatory things about him."

Mr. Porter said he does not believe there is any reason the city should have alerted the FBI because he said the matter does not involve any federal jurisdiction.

Mr. Acklin said the administration decided to contact the FBI because of the continuing federal probe into city business, which last year resulted in the indictment of former police chief Nate Harper. Later, Mr. Ravenstahl's chief of staff, secretary, police bodyguards and two female acquaintances were called before the FBI.

"There is an ongoing federal investigation," Mr. Acklin said. "When we found that city property was missing -- including the mayor's computer -- we felt obligated to contact the lead agency."

The machine was discovered missing when technicians from City Information Systems went to the mayor's suite on Jan. 9 to install a new computer for Mr. Peduto. A monitor, keyboard, mouse and loose wiring remained at the desk. But the computer was nowhere to be found.

A CIS employee called Mr. Ravenstahl and left a message with him inquiring about the computer. The following day, a Peduto administration official called the FBI to report the computer missing.

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Former Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl took his computer home, returned it later