For pawn shops, dealers, resellers and auction houses
Stolen Item Checks for Businesses
A business can check whether an item is reported stolen by running its serial number, IMEI or VIN on SafeOrStolen before paying for it. One item takes a few seconds. A list of up to 100 goes through the bulk check, and you download a CSV showing each result, the sources searched and the time of the check. Every check stays in your account with its date, so you can show what you looked up and when.
2 free checks · No credit card · Updated October 7, 2026
What a business can use today
There is one set of tools and one price list for everyone. Nothing below needs a contract or a sales call.
| Tool | What it does | Who gets it |
|---|---|---|
| Single checks | Type or paste a serial number, IMEI, VIN or plate at /verify and get a result in a few seconds. | Every account, 2 free checks |
| Bulk check | Paste up to 100 numbers, or upload a .csv or .txt file, at /bulk-check. Download the results as a CSV. | Built for the $10/month plan |
| Dated check history | Every check is saved to your account with the date and time, the result and the sources searched. | Every account |
| Verification certificate | A dated record with its own link that shows you checked an item. You can show it to a customer or keep it in the file. | $1.99, free on the monthly plan |
| Phone blacklist check | Checks an IMEI against the lost and stolen carrier blacklist. | Paid; up to 20 a month on the monthly plan |
What each check searches
| Item | Sources searched |
|---|---|
| Any serial number | SafeOrStolen theft reports and public web results (listings and posts that mention the number) |
| Guns | Also 242,839 police firearm theft and loss reports from 33 states and Washington, DC (filed through 2017; the years covered vary by state), live Ohio law-enforcement records, and a flag for serials that look altered or obliterated |
| Bikes | Also a national stolen-bicycle registry |
| Phones (IMEI) | Also the make and model from the IMEI; the carrier blacklist is a separate paid check |
| Vehicles (VIN) | Also the decoded year, make and model, open safety recalls, and Arizona law-enforcement stolen-vehicle records for Arizona VINs |
| Plates | SafeOrStolen theft reports, plus Arizona law-enforcement records for Arizona plates. No owner names. |
Each result reads "reported stolen", "possible match" or "no report found in the records searched", and lists every source it checked. SafeOrStolen does not search NCIC, ATF eTrace, pawn reporting systems, DMV records, manufacturer databases or insurer databases. A clean result means no report turned up in those sources, not that the item is guaranteed clean.
A simple intake routine
- Find the number on the item itself, not the box: the nameplate, battery bay, settings screen (*#06# on a phone) or the VIN plate at the base of the windshield.
- Record the seller's photo ID and the number the way your state or city requires.
- Run the number at /verify, or save a day's intake and run it through /bulk-check.
- Hold anything that comes back "reported stolen" or "possible match", and call your local police non-emergency line about a stolen result.
- Keep the CSV or your account history with the transaction. For a customer who wants proof, add a $1.99 verification certificate.
Pages for your kind of business
Pawn shops
Counter checks, gun serials, and what the bulk CSV gives you for your files.
Car dealers
Checking trade-ins and auction buys by VIN, and what a VIN check here does not cover.
Electronics resellers
Bulk IMEI and serial checks for phone and laptop buys.
Auction houses
Checking a consignment list before it goes in the catalog.
Online marketplaces
What a marketplace can link to and ask sellers for today.
Sellers
Showing a buyer you checked an item before listing it.
Common questions
How can a business check if an item is stolen?
Write down the item's serial number, IMEI or VIN at intake and run it on SafeOrStolen (safeorstolen.com/for-businesses) before you pay. One item takes a few seconds at /verify. For a stack of items, paste up to 100 numbers at /bulk-check and download a CSV with each result, the sources searched and the time of the check.
How much does SafeOrStolen cost for a business?
There is no separate business price. Every account gets 2 free checks with no credit card. After that it is $0.99 for a single check or $10 a month for unlimited checks, which is the plan bulk checking is built for. Phone blacklist checks are capped at 20 a month on that plan. You can cancel anytime, and there is a 30-day refund on the monthly plan.
Does SafeOrStolen search police databases like NCIC?
No. SafeOrStolen does not search NCIC, ATF eTrace, pawn reporting systems, DMV records or insurer databases. It searches its own theft reports and public web results, plus police firearm theft reports from 33 states and DC and live Ohio records for guns, a national stolen-bicycle registry for bikes, and Arizona law-enforcement records for Arizona vehicles. Treat it as one check alongside the reporting your state requires.
Does a SafeOrStolen check satisfy state pawn or secondhand dealer laws?
No. State and local laws set what a pawnbroker or secondhand dealer must record, report and hold, and a SafeOrStolen check doesn't replace any of it. What it adds is a dated record that you looked the item up before you bought it. See /state-pawnshop-laws for how each state licenses pawnshops, then confirm the current rules with your regulator.
Is there an API or a widget for my website?
Not a public one. There are no API keys, plugins or embeddable widgets to sign up for today. You can link a listing or your own site to a check with a URL like safeorstolen.com/verify?q=NUMBER, and run lists through the bulk check. If you need programmatic access, email safeorstolenmail@gmail.com with your item types and volume.
Can several employees use one account?
There are no separate employee logins or role permissions. A business can share one account, and every check run on it lands in the same dated history, which makes it easy to pull up what was checked and when. If you need separate logins for each location, email safeorstolenmail@gmail.com.
What should we do if an item comes back reported stolen?
Don't buy it or take it in pawn, and don't argue with the person selling it. Keep the item details, the seller's ID record and the check result, and call your local police non-emergency line. A "possible match" means a source mentions a similar number, so read what the result shows before you decide.
Try it on today's intake
Create a free account and run 2 checks. If it fits your counter, the $10 monthly plan covers unlimited checks. Questions about volume or setup: safeorstolenmail@gmail.com. SafeOrStolen is based in Peoria, AZ.