Report a theft in Oregon to the local police department or sheriff first and keep the case number. Under Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 164.043–164.057, theft becomes a felony at $1,000. Then follow the checklist for what was taken, below.
Oregon at a glance
| Felony theft threshold | $1,000. Theft of property worth $1,000 or more is theft in the first degree, a Class C felony. |
|---|---|
| Theft statute | Or. Rev. Stat. §§ 164.043–164.057 |
| Grading | Under $100: theft in the third degree, Class C misdemeanor. $100 to under $1,000: theft in the second degree, Class A misdemeanor. $1,000 or more: theft in the first degree, Class C felony. $10,000 or more: aggravated theft in the first degree, Class B felony. Theft of a firearm, explosive, livestock or companion animal, or theft during an emergency, is first-degree theft at any value. |
| Vehicle theft | Taking or using a vehicle, boat or aircraft without the owner's consent is unauthorized use of a vehicle under ORS 164.135, a Class C felony regardless of value. |
| State police | Oregon State Police |
| Motor vehicles | Oregon DMV (Oregon Department of Transportation) |
| Consumer protection | Oregon Department of Justice, Consumer Protection |
| Online police reports | The Portland Police Bureau accepts online reports for many thefts, theft from a vehicle, mail theft and identity theft with losses up to $5,000, when the suspect's name or address is not known; motor vehicle theft and firearm incidents must be reported by phone. Other departments set their own rules. |
| Lost or stolen gun reporting | Owners must report a lost or stolen firearm to local law enforcement as soon as practicable and within 72 hours of when they knew or should have known of the loss, under 2021 SB 554, according to the Giffords Law Center (an advocacy group). |
| Pawn and secondhand dealers | Oregon pawnbrokers must deliver each transaction record to the local police agency within three days (ORS 726.285) and may not sell an unredeemed pledge until the redemption period has run and it is forfeited (ORS 726.270, 726.400). |
| Official stolen property lookups | No public state-run lookup was found for Oregon. Use the national tools in the lookup directory. |
Statute text checked on oregonlegislature.gov. Laws change; confirm the current version before relying on it.
Oregon by the numbers
| Measure | Oregon | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity theft reports to the FTC, 2024 | 6,898 reports, 163 per 100,000 residents; ranked 31 of 50 | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Fraud and other reports to the FTC, 2024 | 46,207 reports, 1,090 per 100,000 residents | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Firearms reported stolen from private citizens | 2,459 a year on average, 58.0 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 Oregon
Oregon is one of the few states that requires gun owners to report a lost or stolen firearm, within 72 hours, so a missing gun belongs at the top of any theft report. For everything else, report to the agency where the theft happened: the city police department, the county sheriff, or the Oregon State Police, which takes reports through its contact page and the mobile shortcut *OSP (*677).
The Portland Police Bureau's online system accepts theft from a building or vehicle, theft of mail and vehicle parts, shed and storage unit burglary, vandalism, and fraud or identity theft with a loss up to $5,000. It is not for incidents where you know the suspect's name or home address, and motor vehicle theft and firearm incidents have to be reported by phone. Other Oregon departments set their own rules. Our stolen property guide covers the serial numbers and receipts to collect, and our stolen firearm guide covers the gun-specific steps.
Oregon theft law and the felony threshold
Oregon grades theft in degrees under ORS chapter 164, and theft becomes a felony at $1,000.
- Theft in the third degree (ORS 164.043): under $100, a Class C misdemeanor.
- Theft in the second degree (ORS 164.045): $100 to under $1,000, a Class A misdemeanor.
- Theft in the first degree (ORS 164.055): $1,000 or more, a Class C felony.
- Aggravated theft in the first degree (ORS 164.057): $10,000 or more, a Class B felony.
Value is not the only route to a felony. Theft of a firearm or explosive, of a livestock, companion or wild animal, or theft committed during a riot, fire or other emergency is first-degree theft whatever the property is worth. Values can be aggregated (added together) across a single scheme, which matters when small items are taken over time.
Stolen vehicles and license plates in Oregon
Oregon charges car theft as unauthorized use of a vehicle under ORS 164.135, a Class C felony that also covers boats and aircraft. Report a stolen vehicle by phone so an officer can enter it into the national database; Portland does not take vehicle theft online. Portland police also ask that stolen license plates be reported to an officer so ownership can be confirmed.
Oregon DMV publishes a fraud page that explains its Dispute of Ownership and Stolen Vehicle Information Sheet, used when DMV needs to note a theft or ownership dispute on a vehicle record. Replacement plates, stickers and registration cards can be ordered online through DMV2U if the vehicle has an Oregon title in your name. Replace stolen plates promptly, since a plate on someone else's car can be linked back to you. Oregon has no public stolen vehicle search; use the national tools in our check-if-stolen guide and the steps in our stolen vehicle guide.
Pawn shops and secondhand sales
Oregon's pawnbroker law gives police a paper trail. Under ORS 726.285, a pawnbroker records each pledgor's name, address, ID and physical description along with a description of the item, and must deliver that record to the local police agency within three days. A pledged item generally cannot be sold until the 60-day loan period and a 30-day grace period have run and the pledge is forfeited. If you think your property was pawned, give the item description and serial number to the officer on your case rather than approaching the shop.
Identity theft and fraud help in Oregon
File an identity theft report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov, then a police report; Portland accepts identity theft reports online for losses up to $5,000. The Oregon Department of Justice consumer protection program answers consumer questions and complaints, enforces the Unlawful Trade Practices Act and keeps identity theft guidance on its site. If a driver license or ID was involved, Oregon DMV's fraud page links its own identity theft steps and a fraud complaint form. Our identity theft guide and stolen wallet guide list the freezes and account changes to make first.
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 Oregon, not legal advice. For your situation, consult an attorney licensed in Oregon.
Sources
- Oregon Revised Statutes, chapter 164 (2025 edition)
- Oregon Revised Statutes, chapter 726 (pawnbrokers)
- Portland Police Bureau, Online Crime Reporting
- Oregon State Police
- Oregon DMV
- Oregon DMV, Fraud Prevention
- KOIN, What to do if your license plates are stolen
- Oregon Department of Justice, Consumer Protection
- Giffords Law Center, Reporting Lost and Stolen Guns in Oregon (advocacy group)