You never know what people will do. In the early 70's I built my first big layout. We had a group of train guys that met about once a month at someones house to run trains. Kids were not invited normally. The next meeting was to be at my house and I got a call from a guy in our group that wanted to know if his 14 year old son could come with him as he was now interested to trains. I thought at the time that was a little strange as he never showed any interest before. Our house was on a hillside with the train room under the house with the entrance from a outside staircase. About ten friends showed up and we were running trains for a couple of hours when I noticed the 14 year old was not in the room. I slipped out to look for him. I didn't see him in the kitchen or living room. Then heard something from our bed room. I walked in and there he was with my wife's lingerie drawer open and a bunch of her stiff laying on the bed. I grabbed him and took him to his father, telling him what happened and to get out. He was never invited back. Like I said, you never know about people. Don
Steve,
Just kinda hope you might be a little like me and find these in a box in your layout room.
Ray
@Rayin"S" posted:Steve,
Just kinda hope you might be a little like me and find these in a box in your layout room.
Ray
Yep. That'd be me too.
Unfortunately these were always on the layout or the display shelf.
A few years ago my place was broken into.Being my job was a 12 hours shift.Missing was my t.v. vcrdvd some cloths.Come to find out the thief took my stuff and sold them to my aunt.I know some thing right out of a three stooges.I hope you get your trains back.And take some of the advise here from the guys.
As the number of trains I owned grew and my layout expanded I began to worry about my trains when workmen came into the house to install things or do some repair work. Over the years each and every time they were here I always checked my displayed inventory for anything which might come up missing. So far so good but my wife insists I am the world's greatest cynic and that I distrust everyone. Well, I can't be to cynical because I have never checked when friends or relatives visit and view the trains. After reading the original post I have concluded I have a blind spot. Oh my wife is really going to have a field day with me now.
Client story of a retired teacher and his former student:
Picture this, you are a caring person, you take in a 38 year old former student who is down on his luck. You provide cross country transportation, free room and board and loan him use of your car.
One by one over a six month period of time he removes trains from boxes in storage and sells them to a pawn shop.
Your layout is finally to a point of completion so you go to pull out your trains. Boxes are very light..............
Because he was a house guest receiving mail at the home no homeowners protection.
The outcome: a heavy loss on income taxes and five years in jail for the perp.
So much for being a nice guy.
@Tom Tee posted:Client story of a retired teacher and his former student:
Picture this, you are a caring person, you take in a 38 year old former student who is down on his luck. You provide cross country transportation, free room and board and loan him use of your car.
One by one over a six month period of time he removes trains from boxes in storage and sells them to a pawn shop.
Your layout is finally to a point of completion so you go to pull out your trains. Boxes are very light..............
Because he was a house guest receiving mail at the home no homeowners protection.
The outcome: a $83,000 loss on income taxes and five years in jail for the perp.
So much for being a nice guy.
Respectfully, no good deed goes unpunished.
Steve
Steve, you beat me to it. We have that saying where I work. I noticed at my old plant any time the Maintenance Dept got recognized for doing something good a week or two later management punished us. Not exactly the same thing but similar.
It says a lot about a person, if anyone has purchased a one way bus ticket out of town for them. 
Tom Tee, very surprised that your thief got that much jail time in this day and age!
Not only that but the perp called the victim from jail and asked for a place to stay when he was to be released!!
Surprised he wasn't permitted to stay there. Unfortunately Tom, you and I both know the fellow who was robbed and there is a LOT more to the story.
It's never happened to me. . . that I know of..!
I had had a family dinner at the house and was running trains. I set it up to run by itself and left the area. So one "guest" poked his cane at a stopped Gang Car, that I had auto running between bumpers. The small plastic levers broke off. But I did not find out until the family left. The "guest" never said a thing to this day.
We have "thousand of dollars on wheels" rolling around on mostly open track. It's like leaving your expensive sports car parked at a concealed lot with the doors unlocked and the key in the ignition.
Too much for some.
Im not too astonished at your story, Corsair....rather I am sympathetic to you now mistrusting folks...out of your goodness of sharing a train session.
I also volunteer to visit the dirtbag...
