Report a theft in Alabama to the local police department or sheriff first and keep the case number. Under Code of Alabama §§ 13A-8-3 through 13A-8-5, theft becomes a felony at $500. Then follow the checklist for what was taken, below.
Alabama at a glance
| Felony theft threshold | $500. Theft of property worth more than $500 is a felony in Alabama (theft of property in the third degree, a Class D felony). |
|---|---|
| Theft statute | Code of Alabama §§ 13A-8-3 through 13A-8-5 |
| Grading | Fourth degree: $500 or less, Class A misdemeanor. Third degree: more than $500 up to $1,499, Class D felony. Second degree: $1,500 to $2,500, Class C felony. First degree: more than $2,500, or any property taken from the person of another, Class B felony. |
| Vehicle theft | Theft of a motor vehicle, regardless of its value, is theft of property in the first degree under § 13A-8-3(b), a Class B felony. |
| State police | Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) |
| Motor vehicles | Alabama Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division |
| Consumer protection | Alabama Attorney General, Consumer Interest Division |
| Online police reports | Online reporting varies by department. The Huntsville Police Department takes reports for minor thefts by telephone when there is no evidence at the scene, and otherwise in person or by officer response. |
| Lost or stolen gun reporting | Alabama has no statewide requirement for owners to report lost or stolen firearms, according to the Giffords Law Center (an advocacy group's summary), which does not list Alabama among the states that require it. |
| Pawn and secondhand dealers | The Alabama Pawnshop Act requires pawnbrokers to keep transaction records available to law enforcement and to hold purchased goods at least 15 business days (vehicles 21 calendar days) before resale (Code of Alabama § 5-19A-5). |
| Official stolen property lookups | No public state-run lookup was found for Alabama. Use the national tools in the lookup directory. |
Statute text checked on law.justia.com. Laws change; confirm the current version before relying on it.
Alabama by the numbers
| Measure | Alabama | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity theft reports to the FTC, 2024 | 13,596 reports, 269 per 100,000 residents; ranked 16 of 50 | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Fraud and other reports to the FTC, 2024 | 70,132 reports, 1,388 per 100,000 residents; median reported fraud loss $400; total reported fraud losses $104.2M | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Firearms reported stolen from private citizens | 7,276 a year on average, 144.8 per 100,000 residents (2019 to 2023) | ATF National Firearms Commerce and Trafficking Assessment |
These figures count reports made to federal agencies, so they measure what was reported, not every theft. National context is on the theft statistics page.
Reporting a theft in Alabama
In Alabama, a theft report is filed with the police department or sheriff's office where the property was taken. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) is the state police and highway patrol, but most residential, retail and vehicle thefts are handled locally. Call 911 if the theft is in progress or anyone is in danger; use the department's non-emergency line otherwise.
Online reporting is not uniform across the state. The Huntsville Police Department, for example, takes reports for minor thefts by telephone when there is no evidence at the scene, and sends an officer when a suspect is known or evidence such as fingerprints may be present. Whatever the method, ask for the report or case number. Insurers, banks and the Department of Revenue may all ask for it.
- List serial numbers, VINs, makes, models and photographs before you call.
- Keep receipts or appraisals that support the value you give.
Alabama theft law and the felony threshold
Alabama grades theft of property by value under Chapter 8 of Title 13A of the Code of Alabama, and its felony line is low: theft of property worth more than $500 is already a felony.
- Fourth degree (§ 13A-8-5): $500 or less, a Class A misdemeanor.
- Third degree (§ 13A-8-4.1): more than $500 up to $1,499, a Class D felony.
- Second degree (§ 13A-8-4): $1,500 to $2,500, a Class C felony.
- First degree (§ 13A-8-3): more than $2,500, or property of any value taken from the person of another, a Class B felony.
Section 13A-8-3 also treats a common plan to sell stolen property to buyers who know or believe it is stolen as first-degree theft when the aggregate value reaches $1,000 within 180 days. Because value decides the degree, the documentation you give police matters. This is general information; prosecutors decide the actual charge.
Stolen vehicles and license plates in Alabama
Alabama does not grade vehicle theft by value. Under § 13A-8-3(b), theft of a motor vehicle, regardless of its value, is theft of property in the first degree, a Class B felony. Report a stolen car to local police with the VIN and plate so it can be entered into the national stolen vehicle file, then call your insurer.
Titles and plates are handled by the Alabama Department of Revenue Motor Vehicle Division and county licensing offices. Under the department's rule 810-5-1-.229, a replacement for a lost or stolen plate or decal is requested on Form MVR 40-12-265-1 with the replacement fee, and the licensing official then updates the record so law enforcement can see the plate's status. An officer who finds a reported plate on another vehicle may confiscate it. Personalized plates that were stolen cannot be duplicated with the same message until the registration period expires. Our stolen vehicle guide covers the full sequence.
Alabama does not run a public stolen vehicle search of its own that we could verify; see how to check if something is stolen for national tools.
Pawn shops and secondhand sales
The Alabama Pawnshop Act (Title 5, Chapter 19A) is one of the more specific in the region. Pawnbrokers must record each transaction, obtain a statement that the pledgor owns the goods, and make records available to law enforcement. Purchased goods must stay on the premises at least 15 business days before resale, and vehicles 21 calendar days (§ 5-19A-5).
Under § 5-19A-15, property in a pawnshop can be placed on a seven-day hold only after a police report is promptly filed, a warrant is sworn out against the person who pawned or sold it, and a warrant or writ is issued for the item. A victim who spots an item should go through police rather than confront the shop. Our stolen property guide explains the process.
Identity theft and fraud help in Alabama
Identity theft victims in Alabama should file with the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov, place a fraud alert or credit freeze, and file a local police report when a creditor asks for one. Consumer scams and business complaints go to the Attorney General's Consumer Interest Division, which accepts complaints online; the office states that it does not give legal advice to consumers. A stolen wallet often leads to identity theft, so see our stolen wallet checklist and identity theft guide.
Checklists for what was stolen
Each guide opens with a checklist in the order to act, with a free printable PDF.
- Domain names
- Identity theft
- Vehicles
- Social media and email
- SIM swap and phone numbers
- Stolen phones
- Bicycles and e-bikes
- Packages and mail
- Wallets, cards and checks
- Passports
- Firearms
- Art and collectibles
- Cryptocurrency
This page is general information about Alabama, not legal advice. For your situation, consult an attorney licensed in Alabama.
Sources
- Code of Alabama § 13A-8-3 (Justia)
- Code of Alabama § 13A-8-4 (Justia)
- Code of Alabama § 13A-8-4.1 (Justia)
- Code of Alabama § 13A-8-5 (Justia)
- Code of Alabama § 5-19A-5 (Justia)
- Code of Alabama § 5-19A-15 (Justia)
- Ala. Admin. Code r. 810-5-1-.229 (Justia Regulations)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
- Alabama Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle
- Alabama Attorney General, Consumer Complaint
- Huntsville Police Department, File a Police Report
- Giffords Law Center, Reporting Lost and Stolen Firearms (advocacy group)