@david1 posted:It may not have been a train guest, I had a family member steal from my layout twice and not even a during an open house for my trains but during a family gathering and barbeque.
so you Never know who it may have been.
Dave
You aren't alone. It took over 30years for me to know for sure what happened. They'd hoped I'd forgotten and it was gifted to their "kid", who began bragging all about. (I can't visit anymore, so it became "safe" they thought. )
1 of 6 made as a thank yous from Lionel, 0 sold, and yet you found another... at an affordable price 
.... Yep, that was my stolen inheritance I saw at the shop a few years ago, relatives name on the ticket 
.
I also like the "Old Farmer's Stolen Pig" story; where he never mentions it's missing to anyone.
Next summer the neighbor asks the old farmer if he ever found his missing pig 🤔
Point is this person is a sad sacked idiot; and therefore, totally bound to tie their own noose eventually. Karma, Darwin, Ocham, Murphy... You just "know" they'll get to extract their "pound of loco" eventually, even if you don't get to.
