How to Report a Stolen Car

Written by Jennifer Mueller, JD

Last Updated: September 2, 2023 References

You walk out to get in your car, keys in hand, and the space where you parked it was empty. You may feel helpless and outraged, but before you panic, get together all the information you have about your car so you can file a report immediately. Take a deep breath and try to remain calm. Report the theft to local police, your insurance company, and your finance company if necessary. Reassure yourself that stolen cars are frequently recovered. For example, the California Highway Patrol reported that more than 95 percent of cars reported stolen in that state in 2017 were recovered.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Reporting to Local Police

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1
Find out if your car has been towed. Before you report your car as stolen, you want to make sure it's actually been stolen. If you parked in a garage or parking lot, look for a sign that provides a number to call if your car has been towed.
- You might also call the local police impound lot to find out if your car is there.
- If you don't see any signs, ask a lot attendant, building manager, or a shop employee or resident nearby if they saw your car being towed.
- If your car is being financed, check your payment history and contact your finance company to make sure your car hasn't been repossessed.
2
Withdraw your permission if you let someone borrow your car. If you let someone borrow your car and they fail to return it as agreed, you typically can't immediately report it stolen. You must first send the person written notification that they no longer have permission to drive your car. You may not have to do this, provided you both sign a document before you lend your car that states exactly when and where the person must return it.
- Include a specific description of your car in the letter, listing its make, model, year, color, license plate, and VIN number. Write "Park the vehicle legally and notify me of its location so I can recover it." Don't tell them to return it to you, because that implies continued permission to drive the car.
- Add that if you don't recover your car by a specific date (such as 24 hours from receipt of the letter), you will report the car stolen. Some police departments have forms you can use to make sure you've used the right language and included all the necessary information.
- Mail your letter using certified or registered mail with return receipt requested, so you'll know when the person has received the letter. Only after that can you report the car stolen.
- In some areas, you may have to wait up to 10 days after you get the mail receipt to report your car stolen before law enforcement will take a report or investigate. You also must be willing to press charges against the person for auto theft.
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3
Gather information about your car. When you report your car stolen, you will need your car's vehicle identification number (VIN), license plate number, and proof that you are the registered owner of the car, such as the car title or a registration document. You will also have to provide your driver's license information.
- If you don't know your vehicle's VIN, your insurance company can provide it to you. It may also be listed on your insurance statement or in your account information online.
- Only the registered owner of a car can report it stolen. If you routinely drive a car owned by someone else, contact them to file the report.
4
Inventory personal items in the car. If you had any personal items of value in your car when it was stolen, make a list of them. Even if your car isn't recovered, some of these items may be found at pawn shops or thrift stores.^{[1]
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- Include any personal items in your glove box, as well as anything in your trunk. If you had a roadside emergency kit, list that as well. It had tools in it which could be valuable to a thief.
5
Call local police. In most cases, use a non-emergency police number to report a car stolen. If the theft is in progress, or if you are stranded and feel you are in immediate danger, use the emergency number instead.^{[2]
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- Tell the officer that your car has been stolen, and provide the location where the car was last seen. Let the officer know of any efforts you've made to ensure the car was not towed or repossessed.
- Give the officer as much information as you have about your car. Tell them if there are any distinguishing characteristics about your car, such as bumper stickers, tinted windows, or after-market rims. If you have a GPS tracking system or other anti-theft device in your car, let the officer know.
6
Get a copy of the written police report. Your written report may not be immediately available, particularly if you filed your report over the phone. The officer who took your report will let you know when and where to get a written copy. They will also give you a case number.^{[3]
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- Take your case number and photo ID with you when you go to pick up your police report. You may have to go to a local precinct, or to a central records office.
7
Follow up with additional information. If you learn anything about your car while the police are investigating, call the detective assigned to your case and let them know as soon as possible. They will update your police report and case file with the information.^{[4]
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- For example, if a friend tells you they spotted your car on the side of the road, find out the exact location where the car was spotted and call the police. Don't attempt to go to the location and recover your car on your own – it may be a trap.
8
Contact the detective to check the status of the investigation. If your car is recovered, the detective typically will contact you and let you know where you can pick up your car. However, don't expect routine status updates.
- Don't go overboard and call the detective every day. Remember that it's likely they're working on a lot of cases. Do call them once or twice a week to check in. Be polite and have patience. Don't vent your frustrations on the detective, it won't do you any good.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Notifying Insurance and Lending Companies

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1
Review your insurance policy. In most cases, your auto insurance will not cover the theft of your car unless you have comprehensive coverage. If it's been awhile since you checked your policy, make sure you have comprehensive coverage and find out how much your deductible is.^{[5]
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- With comprehensive coverage, your insurance covers the total market value of your car, if it isn't recovered, minus your deductible. Some insurers offer the replacement value. However, in most cases you'll get the fair market value of your car on the date of the claim, which will be less than what you paid for the car and may be less than you currently owe (if your car is financed.
- If your car is found, your auto insurance will cover any damages to your car during the theft, minus your deductible.
2
Report the theft to your car insurance company immediately. Even if you've determined that your insurance policy doesn't cover theft, you still need to let your insurance company know that the car is no longer in your possession.
- If the car is involved in an accident, you may be held liable for the damages if you don't report your car stolen to the insurance company.
- If you let someone borrow your car and they have failed to return it, call your insurance company even if you can't file a police report yet. Let them know that the person has retained your car without your permission and the car is no longer in your control. Explain why you can't file a police report yet, and the steps you've taken to get your car returned to you.
3
File a claim if you have comprehensive coverage. You can only file an insurance claim for a stolen car after the police report has been filed. Most auto insurers allow you to file a claim online or over the phone.^{[6]
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- If your insurance company has a mobile app, you may be able to file a claim through the app as well.
- The adjuster will need a full description of your car, as well as the names and contact information for anyone who had access to your car. They'll also want to know the location of all keys to the car.
- Have the account and contact information available for your finance company as well. Some auto insurance companies will contact your finance company for you.
4
Cooperate with the insurance company's investigation. If you file a comprehensive insurance claim for your stolen car, don't be surprised if your insurance company transfers the claim to the fraud department and you become the number one suspect. Answer questions honestly and completely, and try not to get upset or offended with adjustors who call.^{[7]
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- Keep records of every conversation you have with an insurance adjustor while your car is still missing. Write down the date and time of the call, as well as the name of the person you spoke with and what was said.
- If an adjustor requests documents or information from you, provide it as soon as possible. Make a copy of every document you send to your insurance company and keep it with your records.
5
File a claim with your renter's or homeowner's insurance company. If there were valuable personal items inside your car, such as a laptop computer, their loss may be covered by your renter's or homeowner's insurance policy.^{[8]
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- Wait to file a claim until you know for sure that these items are gone. You also want to check your policy. If the value of the stolen items is less than your deductible, you're better off just replacing them yourself.
6
Notify your finance company. If your car is financed or being leased, let the finance company know that the car has been stolen. If you didn't have comprehensive insurance, your insurance company may not notify your finance company of the theft.^{[9]
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- When you first talk to your insurance company, ask them if you are responsible for notifying your finance company of the theft or if they will do it for you. Don't assume your insurance company is taking care of it, even if they take down information from you about your finance company.
- You may be on the hook for the balance of the payments if your car is not recovered and your insurance doesn't cover it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Recovering Your Car

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1
Contact national authorities if your car is recovered in another country. Once your car crosses a national border, it becomes a national law enforcement issue as well as a local police issue. This is especially important if you recover the car yourself, because you may be detained at the border.
- Notify the local police department as soon as your car is recovered. They may have an officer come and meet you at the border to process the recovery of the car.
- At the border, let the border agents know that your car was reported stolen and has been recovered. Provide identification as well as proof of ownership to ensure you aren't detained any longer than necessary, or that your car is not impounded.
2
Retrieve your car from the police impound lot. If the police find your car, they'll take it to the impound lot for processing. To get your car out of impound, you'll have to provide proof of ownership and pay impound fees, which may be several hundred dollars.^{[10]
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- The detective who found your car will give you a phone number for the impound lot to which your car was towed. Call them ahead of time and find out how much you owe in towing and impound fees, and what methods of payment are accepted.
- Ask if the car is in drivable condition. Otherwise, you may need to make arrangements to have a tow truck meet you at the impound lot so you can get your car to a mechanic.
3
Let your insurance company know your car has been recovered. As soon as possible after you hear from the detective that your car has been recovered, call your adjustor. They will update your claim and let you know what you need to do if your car is damaged.^{[11]
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- Typically the insurance company will tell you to take your car to a mechanic to get it inspected, even if there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the car. Take them up on this, otherwise you may end up paying out of pocket if a problem occurs later, even if it happened as a result of damage from the theft.
4
Search the car's interior carefully. Use a flashlight, and look all through the interior of your car, between and under seats, and in all storage compartments. Look for items that do not belong to you, which may be evidence of another crime.^{[12]
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- If you find anything that doesn't belong to you, notify police immediately. Don't touch it or move it, and don't move your car until police come and process the evidence.
5
Get an estimate for repairs. Even if there doesn't appear to be any damage done to your car, it's a good idea to take it to a mechanic for an inspection. There may be damaged parts that won't affect how the car runs until later.^{[13]
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- Mechanics will inspect your car thoroughly and provide a written estimate of repairs to be completed. If you're paying for repairs yourself, you can choose which you want to do now and which you want to save for later. The mechanic will tell you which repairs must be done immediately.
- When repairs are coming out of your own pocket, you may want to get more than one estimate so you can make sure you're getting the best deal.
- If repairs are being covered by your insurance, go through the estimate and be honest about any problems that your car had before the wreck. For example, if the mechanic has included repairing scratches to the paint on a door, but you know the scratches have been there for months, let them know that doesn't fall under the insurance claim. It may seem like a minor thing, but letting insurance pay to repair something that wasn't part of your claim is insurance fraud.

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Tips

You may want to make posts on social media for people to be on the lookout for your car, particularly if you have a lot of local connections. Include a complete description and recent photo of your car, and encourage people to share the post to reach more people.

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