Police
In our society, vehicles are an important part of our daily lives. When a vehicle is stolen, it is usually an expensive loss that disrupts our routines. The goal of the San Diego Police Department is the reduction and prevention of vehicle thefts and to assist with the recovery of stolen vehicles and the prosecution of those who steal vehicles.
To report your vehicle stolen call 619-531-2000.
Has your stolen car been recovered? The assigned Detective normally will contact the registered owner when a stolen car is recovered. If you are checking to see if your car has been recovered and you have not been contacted, call the area station from which your car was stolen.
Unfortunately, the number of cases a Detective investigates prevent them from routinely contacting each victim. A Detective will contact you for information when needed. If you believe you have information which would be of value to the investigation, you may call the area station from where your vehicle was stolen and ask to speak to the Detective handling your case.
If you locate and recover your vehicle in Mexico, notify the U.S. Customs inspector when crossing the U.S. / Mexico border. You will be sent to a "secondary inspection" area and either the California Highway Patrol or San Diego Police Department will dispatch an officer to examine your vehicle and check your identification. The officer will release the vehicle to the registered owner. This is an important step. If you do not have the vehicle recovered and released by a U.S. police department, you will be driving a vehicle that is STILL reported stolen. You could be stopped and detained at gunpoint!
If your vehicle is stolen in Mexico, contact the local Mexican authorities and make a police report. Note the report number and agency name. Obtain an original, certified Mexican police report from the police agency. Upon your return to the U.S. contact the California Highway Patrol at a local office. Bring your identification, and the certified, original Mexican theft report. The vehicle must be currently registered in the U.S. and the registered owner must live in the U.S. Be sure to bring your identification.
Whenever any person who has leased or rented a vehicle willfully and intentionally fails to return the vehicle to its owner within five days after the lease or rental agreement has expired, that person shall be presumed to have embezzled the vehicle.
To assist with the investigation and successful prosecution of an embezzled vehicle, the Detective will require the following information and documents:
After all the above documents and information are obtained, call your area station auto theft detective to schedule an "In-Person" report.
If you have loaned your vehicle to another person to drive and this person does not return the vehicle, certain documentation is required to report the car stolen. Since the vehicle is being operated with permission of the owner, this permission needs to be rescinded. Send a letter to the person via Registered Mail-Return Receipt. The language of the letter should include:
"Your permission to operate this vehicle is rescinded. You are to stop operating the vehicle immediately. Park the vehicle legally and notify me of the location, so I may recover it. If you fail to comply with these instructions, I will report the vehicle as stolen." (Including language that instructs the borrower to return the vehicle implies further permission to operate the vehicle.) The letter should also include a description of the vehicle including the year, make, model, color, license plate number and VIN.
Keep a copy of the letter and post office documents needed to send it. After the letter has been mailed, you will either receive proof of delivery or the letter will be returned by the post office as unclaimed.
If you are not successful in getting your vehicle back, call 619-531-2000 to report the vehicle as stolen. These reports will not be taken over the phone. You will be required to appear in person and sign the theft report. You must also be willing to press charges and testify in court against the person to whom you loaned the vehicle.
If you have had a vehicle stolen by a fraudulent credit application, forged checks, or identity theft within the city of San Diego, contact the San Diego Police Department's Financial Crimes Unit at 619-531-2545.
If your vehicle was embezzled, borrowed, or taken by adult or minor who is a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant, or a person with whom the suspect has had a child, is having or has had a dating or engagement relationship contact the Domestic Violence Unit at 619-533-3500.