Settlers stole my armor and ran off?

[Moraelin]

Sounds like some sort of glitch. Possibly some variant of ye olde cell reset bug, with certain bugged mods.

 

While settlers most definitely WILL use any PA that has a core in it, as soon as they see any enemy at all, they shouldn't do it unless:

 

A) it has a power core, and

 

B) the cell is loaded, i.e., you're nearby. They won't jump in during attacks that you ignored and were at the other end of the map.

 

That said, if they do jump in, you probably don't need TCL to find it. More like a bit of exploration. They may chase enemies out of the settlement, then leave the PA there if they decide they need to go to bed, sit down, or really anything that doesn't work with a PA.

 

Be aware though that settlers aren't the only ones that will steal any available PA in a fight. Raiders will also jump in a PA, and for that matter so will Carla or the other merchants and their guards. And so will the Minutemen patrols. And unlike villagers, most of those never need to rest or sit, so they'll never get out of the PA.

[TheGadget1945]

Sounds like some sort of glitch. Possibly some variant of ye olde cell reset bug, with certain bugged mods.

 

While settlers most definitely WILL use any PA that has a core in it, as soon as they see any enemy at all, they shouldn't do it unless:

 

A) it has a power core, and

 

B) the cell is loaded, i.e., you're nearby. They won't jump in during attacks that you ignored and were at the other end of the map.

 

That said, if they do jump in, you probably don't need TCL to find it. More like a bit of exploration. They may chase enemies out of the settlement, then leave the PA there if they decide they need to go to bed, sit down, or really anything that doesn't work with a PA.

 

Be aware though that settlers aren't the only ones that will steal any available PA in a fight. Raiders will also jump in a PA, and for that matter so will Carla or the other merchants and their guards. And so will the Minutemen patrols. And unlike villagers, most of those never need to rest or sit, so they'll never get out of the PA.

 

In my first playthrough one of the caravan guards stole my Power Armor and walked around in it for a couple of months.

[StarMystyk]

Leaving the core in PA is, IMO, like leaving the keys in the ignition of your car with the engine still running, while you go shopping :D

Only once, recently, did I leave a core in my PA by accident. It was at my fortified companion dumping ground. When I was coming back a fight erupted nearby (I use Endless Warfare and War of the Commonwealth) and X6 jumped into it. I didn't order him out, I had plenty of other suits but rarely wear any. Come night time and he got out on his own. I just parked it back in its spot and took the core out.

All my completed and fully upgraded suits are kept usually at Home Plate. I rarely go there, either. Too many loading screens.

[snapper69]

I built a house in Sanctuary with no doors, when I want to get in I go into workbench mode and pull a section of wall out, go in and replace it. I keep all my power armour in there and so far none have gone missing.

[Perraine]

I built a house in Sanctuary with no doors, when I want to get in I go into workbench mode and pull a section of wall out, go in and replace it. I keep all my power armour in there and so far none have gone missing.

Then you've been exceedingly lucky. As mentioned repeatedly, Bugthesda implemented a "Magical NPC Teleporter" into the game (Skyrim had/has an earlier version of it)

If an NPC is close enough to "feel" a trigger or an interaction placement of any kind (workstation, idle marker, beds etc) regardless of what is between them and the marker, they will simply teleport to it.

 

My guess would be that your "house" is simply far enough away from attack spawn points, that as yet, no NPC has been in "attack mode" when near it.