What should the owner of stolen goods do after finding them with a man who bought them from someone else, especially if the thief cannot be apprehended?

The buyer of a stolen item must return it to its original owner if the owner's claim is truthful or if evidence establishes it. The buyer then claims the price from the seller, based on the Prophet's (PBUH) saying: "Whoever finds his property with a man, he has the most right to it, and the sale follows the one who sold it." If the buyer refuses to return it while knowing its origin, he is sinful, and the rightful owner may sue him.