I think it came and went and came again. Sometimes it got mentioned other times not. I think they were trying to determine if she owned one or perhaps had borrowed one and since returned it. But, it did get mentioned periodically, if I recall correctly.
Howlin, I don't know if anyone's answered you yet, but I certainly don't remember hearing about the walkman last summer. Perhaps it wasn't cataloged as being missing because the police or friends just didn't think of it, though.