Report a theft in Maine to the local police department or sheriff first and keep the case number. Under Maine Revised Statutes, Title 17-A, § 353, theft becomes a felony at $1,000. Then follow the checklist for what was taken, below.
Maine at a glance
| Felony theft threshold | $1,000. Maine does not use the word felony, but theft of property worth more than $1,000 is a Class C crime, punishable by up to five years, which is the felony-level grade. |
|---|---|
| Theft statute | Maine Revised Statutes, Title 17-A, § 353 |
| Grading | $500 or less: Class E (up to 6 months). More than $500 to $1,000: Class D (less than one year). More than $1,000 to $10,000: Class C (up to 5 years). More than $10,000, or any theft of a firearm or explosive device, or theft while armed with a dangerous weapon: Class B (up to 10 years). Two or more prior theft-related convictions raise the charge to Class C regardless of value. |
| Vehicle theft | Maine has no separate auto theft offense; taking a vehicle permanently is theft graded by value under § 353, while taking or operating a vehicle without the owner's consent is unauthorized use of property under § 360, a Class D crime (Class C with two or more prior theft-related convictions). |
| State police | Maine State Police |
| Motor vehicles | Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles |
| Consumer protection | Maine Attorney General, Consumer Protection |
| Online police reports | Online reporting for non-emergency theft varies by department in Maine; check the website of the police department or county sheriff where the theft happened. |
| Lost or stolen gun reporting | Maine has no statewide requirement to report a lost or stolen firearm, according to the Giffords Law Center, an advocacy group, whose summary does not list Maine among the states with such a law; stealing a firearm, however, is a Class B crime regardless of value. |
| Pawn and secondhand dealers | Under 30-A M.R.S. § 3972, dealers in secondhand precious metals must photograph items, record the seller's ID and hold items for 15 days (5 business days if checked against a stolen property database). |
| Official stolen property lookups | No public state-run lookup was found for Maine. Use the national tools in the lookup directory. |
Statute text checked on legislature.maine.gov. Laws change; confirm the current version before relying on it.
Maine by the numbers
| Measure | Maine | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity theft reports to the FTC, 2024 | 1,746 reports, 127 per 100,000 residents; ranked 42 of 50 | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Fraud and other reports to the FTC, 2024 | 12,106 reports, 879 per 100,000 residents; median reported fraud loss $350; total reported fraud losses $29.3M | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Firearms reported stolen from private citizens | 251 a year on average, 18.4 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 Maine
Maine law grades theft by class letter rather than by the labels felony and misdemeanor, so the report you file is where the value of the loss is first written down. Report to the local police department in an organized town or city, the county sheriff in many rural areas, or the Maine State Police, which covers large parts of the state without local departments. Whether a department accepts online reports for minor theft varies, so check its website first.
- Gather serial numbers, photos and receipts before you call.
- Ask for the case number and the officer's name.
- Keep a copy for your insurer and any credit disputes.
Our stolen property guide sets out the order of steps.
Maine theft law and the felony threshold
Theft by unauthorized taking is defined in 17-A M.R.S. § 353. Maine sorts crimes into Classes A through E; Class C and above carry possible sentences of a year or more and correspond to what other states call felonies. Theft reaches Class C when the property is worth more than $1,000.
- $500 or less: Class E, up to six months.
- More than $500 to $1,000: Class D, less than one year.
- More than $1,000 to $10,000: Class C, up to five years.
- More than $10,000: Class B, up to ten years.
Two features set Maine apart. Stealing a firearm or explosive device is a Class B crime whatever its value, and so is any theft committed while armed with a dangerous weapon. A person with two or more prior theft-related convictions faces a Class C charge even for a small theft. Sentence maximums for each class appear in 17-A § 1604.
Stolen vehicles and license plates in Maine
Maine does not have a separate auto theft statute. A vehicle stolen to keep is charged as theft under § 353, graded by its value, so most car thefts are Class C or Class B. Taking or driving a vehicle without the owner's consent, the joyriding scenario, is unauthorized use of property under 17-A § 360, a Class D crime. Maine's definition of vehicle there is broad: it includes snowmobiles, airplanes, motorboats and boats propelled by sail, oar or paddle.
Plates have their own rule. Under 29-A § 465, an owner must notify the Secretary of State within 24 hours after registration plates are lost and apply for new ones, and must return the remaining plate when one of a set is replaced. Report a stolen plate to police as well, so it is flagged in the national crime database, then contact the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Our stolen vehicle checklist covers insurance and recovery.
Pawn shops and secondhand sales
Maine regulates dealers in secondhand precious metals, the businesses most likely to receive stolen jewelry. Under 30-A M.R.S. § 3972, a dealer must record the seller's name and address, check government-issued identification, take a digital photograph of each item, obtain a signed statement of ownership, and keep those records for one year. The dealer may not sell or alter the items for 15 days, or 5 business days if the dealer confirms they are not listed in an electronic stolen property database. Records must be shown to police on request.
Give investigators clear photos of stolen jewelry; the dealer's photographs are what they will compare. For other secondhand goods, rules vary by municipality. Our check-if-stolen guide explains how to vet a purchase.
Identity theft and fraud help in Maine
If a theft exposed your identity documents, file at IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan, make a police report, and place a fraud alert or credit freeze. Review your reports at AnnualCreditReport.com. Scams and unfair business practices can be reported to the Maine Attorney General's Consumer Protection division. See our identity theft guide and stolen wallet checklist.
Maine has no statewide duty to report a lost or stolen gun, according to the Giffords Law Center, an advocacy group, but a report protects you if the firearm is later misused. See our stolen firearm 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 Maine, not legal advice. For your situation, consult an attorney licensed in Maine.
Sources
- Maine Legislature, 17-A M.R.S. § 353
- Maine Legislature, 17-A M.R.S. § 360
- Maine Legislature, 17-A M.R.S. § 1604
- Maine Legislature, 29-A M.R.S. § 465
- Maine Legislature, 30-A M.R.S. § 3972
- Maine State Police
- Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles
- Maine Attorney General, Consumer Protection
- Giffords Law Center, Reporting Lost and Stolen Firearms