I will loan out my tools to my friends as I have some times needed to borrow tools from them. I have always had them returned, and I have always treated my friends, and their tools with respect.
And to the OP you need to choose better friends.
Or if you have them you should have taken one of them with you.
I thought you had a cousin that works on cars that used to post here.
Couldn't he have gone with you.
Why not get a bunch of your female friends that you have posted about in the past who's cars you work on and go pound on this guy's door in mass.
Just a thought.