Which door to use
A crime in progress or any danger to a person is a call to 911. Everything else goes through the non-emergency line, the front desk of the station, or the department's online reporting form, which many agencies now offer for minor thefts, vandalism and lost property with no known suspect. Jurisdiction follows the place where the incident happened and not the place where you live, so a wallet stolen on vacation is reported to that city's police. Report promptly, because insurers expect it and details fade.
What to bring
- Bring the date, the time window and the exact location.
- Bring a list of what was taken or damaged, with makes, models, serial numbers and approximate values.
- Bring photographs of the damage, along with receipts or other proof of ownership.
- Bring the names and phone numbers of witnesses, and a description of any suspect or vehicle.
- Bring any video you have, or the location of a nearby camera.
State facts in order and leave out guesses. Knowingly filing a false report is a crime everywhere, and an inflated loss list can also void the insurance claim it was meant to support.
What you leave with
Ask for the report or case number, the officer's name and badge number, and the procedure for getting a copy. The full report is usually ready within three to ten days from the records division, often for a small fee. If you later find more missing property or remember a detail, call and ask to file a supplemental report under the same number.
After a car crash
Most states require a report when a crash causes an injury, a death, or property damage above a dollar threshold that commonly falls between $500 and $2,500. If the police did not come to the scene, you may have to file a written report with the state motor vehicle agency yourself within a fixed number of days. The agency's site gives the threshold and the deadline.
What a report does
A report documents, and it does not guarantee an investigation. Many property crimes with no suspect and no video are recorded and never assigned to a detective. The report still supports your insurance claim and backs a fraud dispute with your bank.
Tip Photograph the serial numbers of your bicycle, laptop, phone and tools today and store the pictures online. A serial number is what lets police enter an item as stolen and return it to you.
