I spoke to a BAA security chief at STN and he said there was no chance of getting the multi tool back.
He said that although confiscation notices were issued when the regs were first introduced they caused so many delays, because so many were being issued, that flight departure times were affected.
The Government then stepped in, he said, and decided to withdraw the notices earlier this year. He said the Government felt that because there had been so much publicity about not taking sharp objects on aircraft, that the public should be completely aware of the rules.
So there we have it. If you make a mistake and put something sharp and valuable in the wrong bag, it is taken away and you can't have it back.
He said that an empty 50 gallon oil drum had been filled with stuff confiscated at STN since last September. Instead of confiscated stuff being held for 30 days under the original regs it is now being disposed of within three days.
Perhaps they ought to put them to good use like they did in the war when metal was melted down to make Spitfires. Perhaps this time they could be melted down to make Eurofighters!