Theft: Does a Returning Creature Keep Equipment?

Question

If I steal a creature card from my opponent with a theft card such as Wrangle, then attach an equipment such as Dead Iron Sledge to said creature.

At the end of the turn, my opponent gets his creature back. At this time, what happens to the Dead Iron Sledge or any other equipment I attached to said creature? Who controls the equipment after the creature is returned?

My argument is that if the exchange were the other way, the equipment would remain under control of the one who cast it, but the equipment would be attached to the stolen creature. This is clear in Wizards rulings.

https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/7p3h5u/stealing_an_equipped_artifact/

If I lose control of an equipped creature, does the equipment stay attached to it?

Thus, when the creature is returned, it will keep the Dead Iron Sledge attached to the opponents creature.

Answer 1

Your instinct is correct, there is no difference between changing control due to stealing a creature with something like Wrangle, and changing control due to something like Wrangle's effect ending. The answer provided by the linked question remains exactly the same. In both cases, control of the creature is changing from one player to another; while control of the equipment stays with the player who originally cast and controlled the equipment.

The equipment will stay attached until something changes that. As the controller of the equipment, you could use the Equip ability to attach it to a different creature.