I'm with you on the "animatronic wasn't stolen" side from what I've seen so far.
- marni characterized it as an "unauthorized removal" (page 26)
- the insider, Dave Ensign, in a recent interview (page 90) stated that it was taken by WDI without the knowledge of park operations
- the OC Sheriff's office property crime search lists no reports of this type of property crime occurring in the Epcot area in November 2018 (page 81; it is a database that lists reports only and is updated as of the previous business day and is not contingent on investigation status or arrest status, if it was reported stolen in November the only reason it wouldn't be on there now would be if they later determined that it wasn't stolen and recharacterized the report)
- even if you think there is some reason a November theft report would not be included in the database, it makes little sense that the media or someone else wouldn't have been able to go through the proper channels and get a copy of the initial complaint by now. The Orlando area news both reported on and quickly obtained a copy of the police report regarding the August 2018 theft of the red jacket, two rubber hands, and green hat. If that story got their attention, why on earth wouldn't they do the same for the theft of the whole Buzzy character?
- the Disney company itself confirmed the clothing theft to sources that asked about it (page 42), why wouldn't they confirm theft of the animatronic if it was indeed stolen?