How to Report a Stolen Item
By Samuel Pfeiffer, Founder of SafeOrStolen · Updated September 24, 2026
Short answer: Report the theft to local police first, with the item's serial number, IMEI, or VIN and a description. Then contact whoever can block or flag the item: your carrier for a phone, your insurer and lender for a car. Finally, log the item on SafeOrStolen so buyers who check its identifier see it was reported stolen.
Find the item's identifier
Every report goes further with the right identifier.
- Phones: IMEI (box, carrier account, receipt).
- Cars, motorcycles, trailers: VIN (registration, title, insurance card).
- Bikes, electronics, tools, cameras, watches: serial number (receipt, box, registration, photos).
- Firearms: serial number (dealer paperwork, receipt, box).
Steps to take now
Work through these in order. Speed matters for tracking, blocking, and insurance, and the identifier is what police, carriers, registries, and insurers ask for.
1. File a police report
Cost: Free
Use the non-emergency line or your agency's online report if it offers one. Call emergency services if a crime is in progress or someone is in danger.
What it tells you: A report number you'll need for everything else.
2. Phone: carrier, Find My, insurer
Cost: Free
Mark it lost, ask your carrier to suspend service and block the IMEI, and start any insurance claim.
What it tells you: See the full stolen phone guide.
3. Vehicle: insurer and lender
Cost: Free
Rule out towing, then notify your insurer and any lender with the police report number.
What it tells you: See the full stolen car guide.
4. Bike: log it on SafeOrStolen
Cost: Free
Log the serial number on SafeOrStolen so buyers who check it see the report.
What it tells you: See the full stolen bike guide.
5. Firearm: police and state rules
Cost: Free
Report immediately and check your state's reporting law. Licensed dealers also report to ATF.
What it tells you: See the full stolen gun guide.
6. Log the item on SafeOrStolen
Cost: Free with an account
Add the item, its identifier, and your police report number at /report-stolen. SafeOrStolen checks its own stolen-item reports whenever someone runs that identifier.
What it tells you: Anyone who checks that identifier on SafeOrStolen sees that it was reported stolen. It does not notify police, carriers, insurers, or other registries.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the police report; insurers and registries often require it.
- Confronting someone who has your item.
- Paying anyone who promises to return your item for a fee.
Keep records and follow up
- Keep a single file with the police report number, officer or agency name, identifier, photos, receipt, and every call reference number.
- Write down dates and times of each call, claim, and report.
- Watch marketplaces for your item and send any listing to the investigating officer instead of contacting the seller.
- Update your report and registries if the item is recovered, so it is no longer shown as stolen.
Do not try to recover an item yourself or confront anyone who has it. Give the information to police. Call emergency services only if someone is in immediate danger.
Log it on SafeOrStolen. Add the item and its identifier to SafeOrStolen's stolen-item reports, so anyone who checks that identifier on SafeOrStolen sees it was reported stolen. This does not replace a police report.
Report a stolen itemWhere SafeOrStolen fits
SafeOrStolen is a stolen-item verification hub for buyers and sellers covering phones, vehicles, license plates, serial-numbered electronics and power tools, firearms, and bicycles. For theft victims, the useful part is the report: once your item is logged, a buyer who checks its identifier on SafeOrStolen sees it was reported stolen. SafeOrStolen does not file police reports or contact carriers or insurers for you.
SafeOrStolen checks its own stolen-item reports, public web results, and AI notes. Guns are also checked against police theft and loss reports from 34 states plus live Ohio records, bikes against a national stolen-bicycle registry, and paid phone checks search the lost and stolen phone blacklist. It does not search NCIC, DMV or insurance records; those are separate checks described in this guide.
Buyers can save the result with their other due-diligence records. After a clean check, sellers can share a Proof of Clean Purchase: a permanent, timestamped verification record. It is not a title, guarantee of ownership, or legal document.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I report a stolen item?
Start with your local police. Then contact the organization that can block or flag that item type, such as your carrier, insurer, lender, or a bike registry, and log it on SafeOrStolen.
Can I report a stolen item online?
Many police agencies accept online reports for certain property crimes; check your local agency's website. You can log the item on SafeOrStolen online at any time.
Does logging an item on SafeOrStolen replace a police report?
No. SafeOrStolen reports are a separate record that buyers see when they check the identifier on SafeOrStolen. Always file a police report.