Re: NNG; Selling Stolen Items

Let me see if I have this straight.
Texas and Pacific locomotive 400 was donated to Marshall, TX and placed in a park in 1963.
It had its backup light then.
The backup light is no longer present on the locomotive.
You saw a locomotive backup light for sale on a web site, it was numbered 400.

The following assumptions were made:
1. The backup light from T&P 400 was stolen sometime between 1963 and now.
2. The backup light numbered 400 you saw on the auction site is that same one.

I have not seen enough evidence to prove either of those assumptions.
The city of Marshall, TX could have given the backup lamp to an employee, or to someone they wanted so show appreciation to.
So we don't know the lamp from 400 was stolen.

There were many locomotive's numbered 400. There is no direct evidence that the lamp on the auction site is the lamp from T&P 400

If I was a judge in this case, I'd throw it out for lack of evidence.
If I were a juror I would find the accused party not guilty.

That being said, I whole heartedly agree that stealing parts of a locomotive and selling them for profit is wrong, and individuals found doing such should be charged and prosecuted.