The legality depends entirely on the location of the stolen property and the method of recovery. It's not the actual reclaiming that is illegal. We are talking

The legality depends entirely on the location of the stolen property and the method of recovery. It's not the actual reclaiming that is illegal. We are talking about this particular iPad, which we only know to be on the thief's person, in a house, or in a car. The likelihood of reclaiming it without breaking a serious law is very low.