What You Need for a Police Report After a Theft

Recovery starts with a serial number

In 2025, The Watch Register identified 1,375 stolen watches, up 21% year over year, and located watches rose 26% in the first half of 2025 versus 2024 (The Watch Register / Secured by Design). Watches get recovered because owners can prove which watch was theirs, and the single most important detail is the serial number. Rolex, the most-targeted brand at roughly 51% of stolen-watch registrations, turns up at dealers and borders precisely because those numbers are on record.

A fast, detailed police report is what connects a later recovery back to you. Here is what to bring.

File immediately

Report the theft to local police as soon as you can. Insurers usually require a police report to process a claim, and the sooner an item is flagged as stolen, the sooner it can be caught when it surfaces at a dealer, pawnshop, or border. Ask for a copy of the report and the case or reference number.

Bring the identifying details

The report is only as useful as the detail in it. For each stolen item, provide:

• Brand, model, and reference number
• Serial number
• Description: metal, dial, stones, size, engravings
• Any unique marks, scratches, or repairs
• Approximate value, with an appraisal or receipt if you have one
• Clear photographs

The serial number matters most. It is what lets recovered items be matched to their owners on stolen-property databases.

Bring proof of ownership

Police and insurers both want evidence the item was yours:

• Original receipt or invoice
• Appraisal or valuation
• Warranty card or certificate
• Photos showing you with the item, if available

Record the circumstances

Write down what happened before your memory fades:

• Date and time you last had the item
• Where the theft occurred
• How it happened, if you know
• Any witnesses or nearby camera footage

After you file

• Register the item as stolen with a stolen-property database
• Notify your insurer and include the police report number
• Alert local dealers and pawnshops if practical
• Keep your case number for follow-up

Confirm the exact reporting steps with your local police, since procedures vary by area.

Why records decide the outcome

You cannot write a serial number into a police report from memory at the counter, and by then the item is gone. Owners who documented their valuables in advance walk in with serials, photos, and receipts ready, and file a complete report in minutes. The report you can file is limited entirely by the records you already have.

Have your proof ready before you need it

Log your valuables now so a serial number and photos are one click away if the worst happens. Set up your free registry.