What to do when something is stolen in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania at a glance

Statute text checked on legis.state.pa.us. Laws change; confirm the current version before relying on it.

Pennsylvania by the numbers

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 Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has more than a thousand municipal police departments, and in many rural townships the Pennsylvania State Police is the primary police agency. Report to whichever agency covers the place of the theft and keep the incident number for your insurer and lender.

Do not expect to file online in the largest cities. The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police says a report cannot be filed online; call 911 from inside city limits, where a civilian telephone reporting unit may take it, or go to any city station, which is open around the clock. In Philadelphia, a city oversight body has proposed online and phone reporting, but residents currently call 911 to have an officer take a non-emergency report. Suburban departments vary, so check the local site. Our stolen property guide lists what to gather before you call.

Pennsylvania theft law and the felony threshold

Pennsylvania grades theft by value under 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3903. Theft becomes a felony when the amount exceeds $2,000.

• Under $50: misdemeanor of the third degree.
• $50 to under $200: misdemeanor of the second degree.
• Other theft up to $2,000: misdemeanor of the first degree. Theft from a person, by threat, or in breach of a fiduciary duty is at least this grade at any value.
• More than $2,000: felony of the third degree.
• $100,000 to under $500,000: felony of the second degree.
• $500,000 or more: felony of the first degree.

Some property skips the value test. Theft of a firearm is a second-degree felony, theft during a declared disaster is a second-degree felony, and theft of any motor vehicle is a third-degree felony. Value means market value at the time and place of the theft, or replacement cost when market value cannot be set, and amounts taken in one scheme can be combined. See our stolen firearm guide if a gun was taken.

Stolen vehicles and license plates in Pennsylvania

Because § 3903 makes theft of any motor vehicle a third-degree felony regardless of value, an older car is treated the same as a new one. Report a stolen vehicle to police by phone or in person so it is entered into the national stolen vehicle file, and have the VIN (vehicle identification number) and plate ready.

For a lost or stolen plate, PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services directs owners to Form MV-44, the application for a duplicate registration card or replacement of a lost, stolen or defaced plate, submitted with a photo or tracing of the plate; fees are on Form MV-70S. A lost or stolen personalized plate is reissued in the same style but with a new configuration. Pennsylvania also has the Pennsylvania Auto Theft Prevention Authority, formed in 1994 as a legislatively mandated public-private body funded by insurer assessments, which awards grants to police agencies for auto theft work. Use our check-if-stolen guide before buying a used vehicle and our stolen vehicle guide for the full steps.

Pawn shops and secondhand sales

Pennsylvania licenses pawnbrokers at the state level, but the rules most useful to a theft victim, such as daily transaction reports to police and holding periods, are set largely by local ordinance; Harrisburg and a number of townships have their own pawnbroker and secondhand dealer codes. Ask the investigating officer whether your municipality requires electronic reporting, and give the officer serial numbers and photos so a match can be flagged.

Identity theft and fraud help in Pennsylvania

Start with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov, then file a police report where you live. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection takes consumer complaints online and publishes an Identity Theft Toolkit with recovery worksheets and contacts for the credit bureaus, card issuers and law enforcement. The State Police list PA CyberCom as the place for cybercrime reporting resources. If a driver license was misused, PennDOT has a page for reporting driver license, ID card or vehicle fraud. Our identity theft guide and stolen wallet guide cover the freezes to place 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 Pennsylvania, not legal advice. For your situation, consult an attorney licensed in Pennsylvania.