Stolen iPad, activation

Sorry, the iPad is - and will remain - useless to you.

Here are the Apple support pages that outline the Activation Lock - and the only mechanisms by which it can be turned off:

Activation Lock for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

Turn off Activation Lock – Apple Support

As you will discover, unless you are the owner of the AppleID that was last used to activate the device, or unless you can secure the cooperation of the previous owner, you’ll not be able to defeat or bypass the Activation Lock. Without documentary evidence that you are the original owner (such as sales receipt showing the serial number), Apple won’t assist - and nobody here will be able to help you.

The All Too Common SAD Reality of Buying … - Apple Community

This is a user helping other users with tech questions forum, you are not addressing apple here  just  fellow users

You can try by https://getsupport.apple.com/

and or https://www.apple.com/retail/geniusbar/

I'm afraid not. A stolen device still belongs to the person it was taken from (or they just lost it and a crook picked it up).

We see topics such as yours here a lot. A receipt from eBay, or any other type of third party purchase you may get a receipt for only proves you paid someone for a device. They may not be the original owner (and often aren't, it seems).

Getting cut off by the seller is a sure sign it was a stolen device. They knew it was locked before they sold it and had no idea themselves how to unlock it. All they cared about was someone handed over money for it. Then they disappear.

e. korsten wrote:

This was very interesting. For instance I didn't know you can have 3 ID's and they have to be all three unlocked.

How can one verify that? If the owner claims he had only one, does that imply he has still access to the device and not the buyer?

Your perceived understanding of the three AppleIDs is a little off the mark. To clarify...

You need an AppleID account to activate and use an iPad or iPhone. You only need one account, as, ideally, all your devices will be associated with the same AppleID. Using a single AppleID account for all your devices allows services to operate seamlessly across your devices.

Each iPad or iPhone device can be individually used to create a maximum of three unique AppleID accounts throughout it’s entire lifetime. If you don’t already have an AppleID (let’s say, you’re “new” to the Apple ecosystem), it is necessary to create a new AppleID account.

For the individual device, think of the AppleID account creation process as expending one of three lives - when all three lives have been used, the device cannot be used to create another new AppleID account. If you already have an AppleID, this restriction likely doesn’t matter to you - but if you need the create a new account, this may be a significant impediment. This account creation restriction, per device, is one of Apple’s controls that impedes abuse of the AppleID account creation process.

During device activation, the device is associated with your unique AppleID account. At any one time, an iPad or iPhone device is only ever associated with - and under the control of - one AppleID account.

Once activated, until this association is removed by the owner, the device is forever linked to the AppleID account that was last used to activate the device. If the device is legitimately sold or transferred to a new owner, the device must be correctly prepared prior to transfer; the correct procedure releases all links with the prior owner and the associated AppleID account. An iPad or iPhone that is ready to be set-up for a new owner will display the “Hello” page - where the new owner may either enter their own AppleID credentials - or, if at least one of the three lives remains, can create a new AppleID account.

If the device is lost or stolen - and the Activation Lock is set - the device is useless to another person - whether that is a thief or the eventual custodian to whom the device might eventually be sold.

A device with an Activation Lock indicates that the device has either not been correctly prepared prior to transfer to a new owner (therefore requiring the assistance and cooperation of the prior owner to release/resolve the Activation Lock) - or that the device has dubious provenance and should be avoided (as it will remain forever useless).

Apple can (and will) only provide assistance with an Activation Lock if original ownership can be demonstrated to their exclusive satisfaction. In practice, history demonstrates that the only acceptable proof of ownership is the original purchase receipt that clearly shows an imprint of the device serial number. Apple’s decision is final; there is no appeal process.

I hope this clarification proves to be helpful.

Not apart from having them recycle it really, it would not be prudent for them to attempt to act the role of private directive on behalf of customers, nor would it be legal in many countries

Apple will not get involved. They are not law enforcement. They also will not unlock such a device as it would expose someone else's private data.