Report a theft in South Dakota to the local police department or sheriff first and keep the case number. Under S.D. Codified Laws § 22-30A-17, theft becomes a felony at $1,000. Then follow the checklist for what was taken, below.
South Dakota at a glance
| Felony theft threshold | $1,000. Theft of property worth more than $1,000 is grand theft, a Class 6 felony at the lowest tier. |
|---|---|
| Theft statute | S.D. Codified Laws § 22-30A-17 |
| Grading | $400 or less: petty theft in the second degree, Class 2 misdemeanor. Over $400 to $1,000: petty theft in the first degree, Class 1 misdemeanor. Over $1,000 to $2,500, or a firearm, livestock or property taken from a person worth $2,500 or less: Class 6 felony. Over $2,500 to $5,000: Class 5 felony. Over $5,000 to $100,000: Class 4 felony. Over $100,000 to $500,000: Class 3 felony. Over $500,000: aggravated grand theft, Class 2 felony. |
| Vehicle theft | Stealing a vehicle is charged as theft by value; operating someone else's vehicle without permission but without intent to keep it is a Class 1 misdemeanor under SDCL 22-30A-12, and knowingly possessing or passing title to a stolen motor vehicle is a Class 5 felony under SDCL 32-4-5. |
| State police | South Dakota Highway Patrol (Department of Public Safety) |
| Motor vehicles | South Dakota Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle Division |
| Consumer protection | South Dakota Attorney General, Consumer Protection |
| Online police reports | The Sioux Falls Police Department accepts online reports for theft, theft from a vehicle, identity theft, vandalism and lost property inside city limits; stolen firearms, medications and anything with a VIN or plate (vehicles, trailers, ATVs) must be reported by phone. Other departments set their own rules. |
| Lost or stolen gun reporting | South Dakota has no statewide requirement for owners to report a lost or stolen firearm, according to Everytown for Gun Safety's state law summary (an advocacy group). |
| Pawn and secondhand dealers | South Dakota pawnbrokers are licensed by cities or counties, may not sell a pledge during the redemption period (SDCL 37-16-2), and commit a misdemeanor if they refuse to show stolen goods to the owner on demand during business hours (SDCL 37-16-5). |
| Official stolen property lookups | No public state-run lookup was found for South Dakota. Use the national tools in the lookup directory. |
Statute text checked on sdlegislature.gov. Laws change; confirm the current version before relying on it.
South Dakota by the numbers
| Measure | South Dakota | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity theft reports to the FTC, 2024 | 845 reports, 94 per 100,000 residents; ranked 50 of 50 | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Fraud and other reports to the FTC, 2024 | 6,081 reports, 676 per 100,000 residents | FTC Consumer Sentinel Data Book 2024 |
| Firearms reported stolen from private citizens | 525 a year on average, 59.2 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 South Dakota
Most South Dakota thefts are handled by a city police department or county sheriff, with the South Dakota Highway Patrol covering state highways. Call the local agency where the theft happened and keep the case number.
The Sioux Falls Police Department, the state's largest, takes online reports for theft, theft from a vehicle, identity theft, vandalism, graffiti and lost property inside city limits, provided the incident is not in progress and the filer is at least 18. A stolen firearm, stolen medication, or a stolen vehicle, trailer or ATV (anything with a VIN or license plate) is not eligible and must be phoned in to the non-emergency line listed on that page. Other departments set their own rules. Our stolen property guide lists the serial numbers and photos to gather, and our stolen firearm guide covers guns.
South Dakota theft law and the felony threshold
South Dakota grades theft in seven steps under chapter 22-30A, and the felony line is more than $1,000 under SDCL 22-30A-17.
- Petty theft, second degree: $400 or less, a Class 2 misdemeanor.
- Petty theft, first degree: more than $400 up to $1,000, a Class 1 misdemeanor.
- Grand theft, Class 6 felony: more than $1,000 up to $2,500.
- Grand theft, Class 5 felony: more than $2,500 up to $5,000.
- Grand theft, Class 4 felony: more than $5,000 up to $100,000.
- Grand theft, Class 3 felony: more than $100,000 up to $500,000.
- Aggravated grand theft, Class 2 felony: more than $500,000.
A firearm, livestock, or property taken directly from a person is grand theft even when worth $2,500 or less, so the value of a stolen gun or a few head of cattle does not keep the charge a misdemeanor. The grand theft section was last amended in 2025.
Stolen vehicles and license plates in South Dakota
South Dakota charges a stolen vehicle as grand theft by its value. Two related offenses fill the gaps: operating someone else's vehicle without permission but without intent to keep it is a Class 1 misdemeanor under SDCL 22-30A-12, and knowingly possessing a stolen motor vehicle, or receiving or passing title to one, is a Class 5 felony under SDCL 32-4-5.
Report a stolen vehicle by phone; Sioux Falls does not accept anything with a VIN or plate online. Titles and registration are handled by your county treasurer's office, according to the Department of Revenue's Motor Vehicle Division, so ask the treasurer about replacing stolen plates or stickers and bring your police case number. Plates or stickers that were lost in the mail can be replaced through a Department of Revenue online form. South Dakota 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
South Dakota leaves pawnbroker licensing to cities and counties, and local ordinances set most reporting rules. State law in chapter 37-16 adds a few protections: a pawnbroker may not sell a pledged item during the redemption period, must disclose the buyer and price of an article it has sold when required, and commits a Class 1 misdemeanor by refusing to show stolen goods to their owner, or the owner's authorized agent, on demand during business hours. Bring the police case number and proof of ownership, and let the officer handle any recovery.
Identity theft and fraud help in South Dakota
File with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov and make a police report; Sioux Falls takes identity theft reports online. The South Dakota Attorney General's consumer protection office publishes identity theft fast facts and takes complaints through an online complaint form. Our identity theft guide and stolen wallet guide list the credit 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 South Dakota, not legal advice. For your situation, consult an attorney licensed in South Dakota.
Sources
- SDCL 22-30A-17 (grand theft)
- SDCL 22-30A-17.1 (aggravated grand theft)
- SDCL 22-30A-17.2 (petty theft, first degree)
- SDCL 22-30A-17.3 (petty theft, second degree)
- SDCL 22-30A-12 (unauthorized operation of vehicle)
- SDCL 32-4-5 (possession of stolen motor vehicle)
- SDCL chapter 37-16 (pawnbrokers), via Justia
- SDCL 37-16-5
- Sioux Falls Police, File an Online Police Report
- South Dakota Highway Patrol
- South Dakota Department of Revenue, Motor Vehicle
- South Dakota Department of Revenue, Lost plates, stickers or title by mail
- South Dakota Attorney General, Consumer Protection
- Everytown for Gun Safety, lost and stolen reporting (advocacy group)