To report a theft, contact the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the place where it happened, provide a detailed inventory of what was taken with any proof of ownership you can gather, and get a case number before you leave or close the browser tab. For most non-violent property crimes you can file online, by phone, or in person at your local police department. Certain kinds of theft, including mail theft and identity theft, also require reporting to a specific federal agency. Filing quickly matters, because evidence goes stale, statutes of limitations run, and your ability to recover money from a bank or insurer often depends on how fast you act.
What to Gather Before You File
Build an inventory first. For each item, write down the make, model, color, approximate size, and any serial numbers or unique identifiers. Serial numbers are what get entered into law enforcement databases and what allows recovered property to be matched back to you months later. If you don’t have them memorized, check original packaging, warranty cards, purchase emails, or the manufacturer’s registration portal.
Then pull together proof of ownership. Purchase receipts, credit card statements showing the transaction, warranty documents, photographs of the items in your home, and appraisal records for valuables all work. Two audiences need this documentation: police, who classify the offense based on the total value of the loss, and your insurance company, which needs the evidence to process a claim. For high-value items like jewelry, art, or collectibles, a professional appraisal is worth far more than a guess. If you had items appraised before the theft, locate those documents. If not, note the best description you can and plan to work with an appraiser afterward for insurance purposes.
Which Agency Handles Your Report
For a standard theft from your home, vehicle, or person, your local police department handles the report if the crime happened within city limits. If it occurred in an unincorporated area outside city boundaries, the county sheriff’s office has jurisdiction. Thefts on university campuses or federal property fall to campus police or federal protective services. The deciding factor is where the theft happened, not where you live.
Some thefts require reporting to a specialized agency in addition to, or instead of, local police:
- Mail theft goes to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at uspis.gov/report or 1-877-876-2455. The Postal Inspection Service investigates all mail theft committed by non-postal employees.1United States Postal Inspection Service. Report2eCFR. 39 CFR Part 233 – Inspection Service Authority
- Identity theft goes to IdentityTheft.gov, the federal government’s dedicated reporting and recovery portal.3Federal Trade Commission. Report Identity Theft
- Fraud and scams go to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, which collects reports about fraud, scams, and deceptive business practices.4Federal Trade Commission. ReportFraud.ftc.gov
There is no hard deadline for filing a police report, but delays hurt you. Evidence goes stale, witnesses forget, and if the offender is eventually identified, prosecutors face statutes of limitations that vary by state, typically ranging from about two years for misdemeanor theft to five or more years for felony-level offenses. File promptly and keep every option open.
How to Submit the Report
Online
Most police departments now offer online portals for non-violent property crimes, and this is the fastest route for a standard theft. You create an account or verify your identity, then fill out a form describing what was taken, when and where it happened, and any suspect information. Filing is free at the vast majority of departments. The system generates a confirmation number you can use to track the report’s status.
Online portals work for thefts where no suspect is present and there is no immediate danger. If the theft just happened and you believe the suspect may still be nearby, call 911 instead.
In Person or by Phone
Walking into your local precinct works if you prefer face-to-face contact or if the online portal does not cover your type of incident. Bring a government-issued photo ID and everything you gathered. A desk officer or clerk will review your materials and enter the information into the records system on the spot.
You can also file over a non-emergency phone line. An officer takes your statement and transcribes the details. Phone reports tend to produce thinner documentation than in-person or online filings because there is no chance to hand over supporting materials during the call. If you file by phone, ask about submitting supplemental documents afterward.
What You Get Back: Case Numbers and Copies
The most important thing you receive is your case number, sometimes called an incident number. Write it down and keep it accessible. You will need it every time you follow up with police, file an insurance claim, or check on the investigation’s status. Without it, you are essentially invisible in the system.
Formal copies of your report usually become available within a few business days to two weeks, depending on the department’s backlog. Some agencies provide a free printout at the time of filing or a downloadable copy through their portal. Others charge a small fee for certified paper copies, typically under $10 but occasionally more. If you need a certified copy for insurance or court purposes, call the records division and ask about turnaround time and cost.
Investigators may contact you in the weeks after your report with clarifying questions or updates. If property is recovered, the department will notify you with instructions for reclaiming items from the evidence facility. Keep your contact information current, because a bad phone number or old address can mean recovered property sits unclaimed.
Stolen Credit Cards, Debit Cards, and Bank Accounts
When a credit or debit card is stolen, call your card issuer before you call the police. Federal liability limits reward speed. Under federal law, your maximum liability for unauthorized credit card charges is $50, and that cap only applies to charges made before you notify the issuer. Once you report the card stolen, you owe nothing for later charges.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1643 – Liability of Holder of Credit Card
Debit cards work differently, and the stakes are higher. Report the loss within two business days and your liability caps at $50. Wait longer than two business days but less than 60 days after your statement is sent, and you could be on the hook for up to $500. Miss the 60-day window entirely, and you risk losing everything the thief takes from that point on.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 15 U.S. Code 1693g – Consumer Liability A stolen debit card drains actual cash from your checking account, so the delay hurts more.
After notifying your bank or card issuer, file a police report as well. The report creates an official record that strengthens any dispute with the financial institution if the claim becomes complicated. The FTC also recommends visiting IdentityTheft.gov if you suspect the card theft is part of a broader identity theft situation.7Consumer.ftc.gov. Lost or Stolen Credit, ATM, and Debit Cards
Identity Theft
Identity theft has its own reporting path. The federal government runs IdentityTheft.gov as a one-stop resource where you describe what happened, receive a personalized recovery plan, and get pre-filled letters and forms to send to creditors, banks, and credit bureaus.8IdentityTheft.gov. IdentityTheft.gov If you create an account, the site tracks your progress through each recovery step and updates the plan as your situation changes.
The site also generates an official FTC Identity Theft Report, which functions like a police report for many purposes. Creditors and credit bureaus are required to accept it. Filing a separate report with your local department is still worth doing, especially if you know the thief’s identity or the theft involved physical documents stolen from your home or mail.
Vehicles, Firearms, and Mail
Stolen Vehicles
Report a stolen vehicle to local police immediately with the Vehicle Identification Number in hand. The VIN is how your vehicle gets entered into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center database, which is searchable by every law enforcement agency in the country.9Federal Bureau of Investigation. Crime/Law Enforcement Stats (Uniform Crime Reporting Program) License plate number and registration details also get entered, but the VIN is the primary identifier that survives even if the plates are swapped. Look for it on your registration card, insurance documents, or the vehicle title.
Stolen Firearms
If you are a private citizen with a stolen firearm, report it to your local police department. The ATF does not take theft reports from individuals. If you purchased the firearm from a dealer and need help identifying it, the ATF suggests contacting that dealer for records.10Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Report Firearms Theft or Loss
Stolen Mail
Mail theft is a federal crime handled by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. File online at uspis.gov/report or call 1-877-876-2455.1United States Postal Inspection Service. Report File with local police too, since the theft likely happened at your mailbox within their jurisdiction. The Postal Inspection Service offers rewards up to $100,000 for information leading to arrests and convictions in mail theft cases.2eCFR. 39 CFR Part 233 – Inspection Service Authority
Filing an Insurance Claim
Notify your insurance company as soon as possible after discovering the theft. Reporting deadlines vary by state, but waiting too long can jeopardize your coverage.11NAIC. What You Need to Know When Filing a Homeowners Claim Your police report case number is the first thing the adjuster will ask for, and the report itself satisfies the proof of loss requirement in most homeowners and renters policies.
Give the adjuster the same documentation you gave police: itemized descriptions, serial numbers, purchase receipts, and photographs. Insurers typically pay actual cash value, meaning the replacement cost of each item minus depreciation for its age and condition. A replacement cost policy pays the full cost of buying an equivalent new item, but you often have to actually purchase the replacement before the insurer pays the difference. Check your policy, because the gap between actual cash value and replacement cost can be substantial for electronics and furniture that depreciate quickly.
If the Thief Is Caught and Convicted
If the person who stole from you is prosecuted and convicted in federal court, the judge can order restitution to reimburse you for your financial losses.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 3663 – Order of Restitution State courts have similar mechanisms, though the process varies.
To get restitution ordered, you typically provide financial loss information to the U.S. Probation Office before sentencing, often through a Victim Impact Statement. The judge enters the order at sentencing, and it becomes a condition of the offender’s probation or supervised release. Federal restitution orders are enforceable for 20 years from the date of judgment, plus any time the defendant spends incarcerated, and the Financial Litigation Unit within the DOJ monitors collection.13Department of Justice: Criminal Division. Restitution Process Realistically, collecting from someone convicted of theft is often slow and incomplete. Keeping your contact information current with the court and sharing any knowledge of the defendant’s assets improves your chances.
Two Things Worth Knowing
Personal theft losses are generally not deductible on your federal tax return for tax years after 2017 unless the loss is connected to a federally declared disaster.14Internal Revenue Service. Topic No. 515, Casualty, Disaster, and Theft Losses A standard burglary or pickpocketing does not qualify. Theft losses on income-producing or business property remain deductible.15Internal Revenue Service. Publication 547 (2025), Casualties, Disasters, and Thefts
And filing a false theft report is itself a crime in every state, typically a misdemeanor and sometimes a felony if the false report leads to someone’s arrest. Making a materially false statement to a federal law enforcement officer carries a penalty of up to five years in prison.16Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally Report honestly, estimate values conservatively rather than inflating them, and correct any errors in your report as soon as you notice them.