Let's say I buy a fancy watch from a guy on the street, hot but I didn't know it. The long arm of the law somehow leads to me and the watch. It would be taken from me and I wouldn't get my money back. I have no recourse to go after the guy who sold it to me. He was a complete stranger.
That also doesn't strike me as entirely fair. If nothing can be gotten from the person who actually did the stealing, then the person who lost the stolen item and the person who bought it should somehow split the cost IMO.