Things taken or captured by pirates and robbers do not change their ownership.

Explanation

(English-origin maxim.) Stolen goods retain their original ownership — pirates and robbers cannot pass title, and the true owner's right survives the taking.

Where this applies

• A pirate seizes a merchant ship's cargo, but the original merchant retains legal ownership and can reclaim the goods if recovered.
• A thief steals a car and sells it to an unsuspecting buyer, but the original owner still holds title and can demand the car back.
• Looters take electronics from a store during a riot, but the store owner's ownership never changed — stolen goods remain hers.