The Repentance of the Thief

Question:
How does a thief repent? And what should he do with the money he stole long ago if he is unable to return it to its owners?

Answer:
Answer: The repentance of the thief is like that of any other sinner. He should repent to Allah and turn away from this evil deed with a sincere repentance that meets its known conditions. He should repent to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by ceasing the sin and abandoning it permanently, resolving not to return to it, and feeling remorse for what he did. These are the conditions of repentance. A fourth condition is that he must return the injustice to its owner. One who stole from people must return their money to them by any means that allows it to reach them. If he is unable to do so, he should give charity equivalent to the amount he stole. He gives this charity to rid himself of the burden, and the reward belongs to the owners of the stolen money. He is thereby rid of the debt if he is unable to return it to its owners.