Report a theft in Hawaii to the local police department or sheriff first and keep the case number. Under Hawaii Revised Statutes §§ 708-830.5 and 708-831, theft becomes a felony at $750. Then follow the checklist for what was taken, below.
Hawaii at a glance
| Felony theft threshold | $750. Theft of property or services worth more than $750 is theft in the second degree, a class C felony, under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 708-831. |
|---|---|
| Theft statute | Hawaii Revised Statutes §§ 708-830.5 and 708-831 |
| Grading | Theft of more than $250 up to $750 is theft in the third degree, a misdemeanor; lower amounts are theft in the fourth degree. More than $750 is theft in the second degree, a class C felony; more than $20,000 is theft in the first degree, a class B felony (HRS § 708-830.5). Some property triggers the felony grades regardless of value: theft of a firearm, explosive, motor vehicle or motorcycle is first-degree theft, and theft from a person, of a purse or wallet, or of more than $250 from a person aged 60 or older is second-degree theft. |
| Vehicle theft | Theft of a motor vehicle or motorcycle is theft in the first degree, a class B felony, regardless of value (HRS § 708-830.5). Taking or operating another person's vehicle without consent is also chargeable as unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, a class C felony (HRS § 708-836). |
| State police | Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement |
| Motor vehicles | City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services (motor vehicle registration; other counties run their own offices) |
| Consumer protection | Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Office of Consumer Protection |
| Online police reports | The Honolulu Police Department accepts some non-emergency reports for incidents on Oahu through its online citizen police report system; it cannot be used when the suspect is known or present, weapons are involved, or an officer needs to respond. Other county police departments set their own rules. |
| Lost or stolen gun reporting | Hawaii requires owners to report a lost or stolen firearm to local law enforcement within 24 hours of discovering the loss or theft (HRS § 134-29), according to the Giffords Law Center, an advocacy group's summary of state law. |
| Pawn and secondhand dealers | No statewide holding period was found; rules are set by cities or counties. |
| Official stolen property lookups | No public state-run lookup was found for Hawaii. 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.
Hawaii by the numbers
| Measure | Hawaii | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity theft reports to the FTC, 2024 | 1,990 reports, 138 per 100,000 residents; ranked 38 of 50 | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Fraud and other reports to the FTC, 2024 | 14,163 reports, 980 per 100,000 residents; median reported fraud loss $600; total reported fraud losses $61.6M | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Firearms reported stolen from private citizens | 166 a year on average, 11.4 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 Hawaii
Hawaii has no state police patrol in the usual sense. Policing is county-based: the Honolulu Police Department covers Oahu, and the Hawaii County, Maui and Kauai police departments cover their islands. The state's Department of Law Enforcement includes the Sheriff Division and state investigators but is not where most residents report a household theft. Call 911 for an emergency, and contact your county police for everything else.
On Oahu, the Honolulu Police Department takes some non-emergency reports online. The system lists eligible report types when you open it, and it is closed to incidents with a known or present suspect, weapons, witnesses on scene, or a vehicle collision. Anonymous reports are not accepted. Keep the report number for your insurer, and see our stolen property guide for the serial numbers and photos to gather.
Hawaii theft law and the felony threshold
Under HRS § 708-831, theft of property or services worth more than $750 is theft in the second degree, a class C felony. The grades run:
- Theft in the fourth degree: the lowest-value thefts.
- Theft in the third degree: more than $250 up to $750, a misdemeanor.
- Theft in the second degree: more than $750, a class C felony.
- Theft in the first degree: more than $20,000, a class B felony (HRS § 708-830.5).
Hawaii lists many items that reach a felony grade regardless of value. Theft of a firearm, dynamite or other explosive, or a motor vehicle or motorcycle is first-degree theft. Theft directly from a person, of a purse, handbag or wallet, or of more than $250 from someone 60 or older is second-degree theft, as are specified thefts of agricultural and aquacultural products. That list reflects local priorities: farm theft and theft from older residents are treated as serious crimes.
Stolen vehicles and license plates in Hawaii
Hawaii treats car theft more severely than most states. Theft of a motor vehicle or motorcycle is first-degree theft, a class B felony, whatever its value, and taking a vehicle without consent can also be charged as unauthorized control of a propelled vehicle, a class C felony under HRS § 708-836. Report the theft to county police with the plate and VIN (vehicle identification number), then notify your insurer.
Plates are issued by the counties. On Oahu, the Department of Customer Services says lost or stolen plates must be replaced: report the theft to the Honolulu Police Department, complete and sign form CSL(MVR)3, and bring it with your current registration to a satellite city hall, returning the remaining plate if only one was taken. Neighbor island residents should follow their county's instructions. We found no public state-run stolen vehicle search; see our guide to checking if an item is stolen and stolen vehicle checklist.
Pawn shops and secondhand sales
We did not confirm a statewide holding period for pawned or secondhand goods in Hawaii. Pawn and secondhand dealer rules can be set by county ordinance, so ask the officer handling your case whether pawn records are checked and give a full description with serial numbers. Do not try to recover an item from a shop yourself.
Identity theft and fraud help in Hawaii
The Office of Consumer Protection, part of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, handles complaints about scams and deceptive businesses and publishes local scam alerts and data breach notices. Report identity theft to the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov and to your county police. Hawaii is one of the few states that requires gun owners to report a lost or stolen firearm, within 24 hours of discovery under HRS § 134-29, according to the Giffords Law Center; see our stolen firearm guide and identity theft checklist.
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 Hawaii, not legal advice. For your situation, consult an attorney licensed in Hawaii.
Sources
- HRS § 708-831 (Justia, 2025)
- HRS § 708-830.5 (Justia, 2025)
- HRS § 708-836 (Justia, 2025)
- Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement
- Honolulu Department of Customer Services: Motor vehicle license plates
- Honolulu Police Department: Police reports
- Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection
- Giffords Law Center: Reporting lost and stolen guns in Hawaii