How to file a police report in San Francisco
Published October 28, 2024
If a crime was committed against you, we recommend that you file a police report. Even if you think nothing will come of it, filing a report helps ensure that SFPD has accurate data on the crime happening in San Francisco so they can direct resources accordingly. Plus, with a renewed focus on growing the police force and effective policing, there's a good chance you will find justice—be that recovering your stolen property, getting restitution, or putting a violent offender behind bars. Use this guide to navigate how to file a police report in San Francisco, and when to inform your insurance in the event of stolen property.
In San Francisco, some crimes can be reported online or over the phone (by calling 311 or (415) 701-2311), and some must be reported in person.
Can report online or via phone
- Harassing Phone Calls
- Lost Property
- Vandalism or Graffiti
- Vehicle Burglary (only property stolen from vehicles, or vehicles that have been rummaged through)
- Vehicle Tampering and Vandalism
- Theft (anything except for firearm, license plate, car, electric vehicle, or electric bikes/scooters/etc)
- Credit Card Fraud
- Shoplifting
Source: SFPD
Must report in person
- Theft from a Building
- Robbery Incidents
- Traffic Collisions and Hit & Runs
- Stolen Vehicles
- Identity Theft / False Impersonation
- Stolen License Plates
- Lost / Stolen Foreign Passports
- Stolen Electric Bicycles (with serial numbers)
- Cases with Suspect Names
- Cases with Video Evidence
Source: SFPD
NOTE: If you were the victim of a crime and know the suspect's name or have video evidence, you will have to submit your police report in person. You can either go to the nearest police station or call the non-emergency police number and wait for an officer to arrive. This is because SFPD needs to do ID verification, which can only be done in person.
Theft from a Car
Was something stolen from your car? Here's how to file a police report:
If the theft is occurring right now, or if you have information on who stole from your car, call 911 immediately.
Document Evidence
- Photograph evidence of the theft (eg: broken car window, open door, etc.)
- Create a list of what was stolen from the car and the approximate value of each item stolen
Notify Police
Next, you will need to notify the police.
You can either call the non-emergency police hotline at 1-415-701-2311 and wait for a police officer to come to you, or go to your local police station to file a report. Going to the station tends to be faster.
You will then provide your ID, the photo evidence, and an itemized list of what was stolen. In return, you will be provided with a case report.
Follow-up
The police will give you a form with a case number on it. In 5-10 days, you will be able to access your full police report online.
The police will notify you if your belongings are recovered.
Traffic Collisions and Hit & Run Traffic Collisions
Notify Police and Record Evidence
If you have just experienced a traffic collision or a hit and run, or if there are injuries, or if there's currently a dangerous situation, call 911 immediately.
Otherwise, call the non-emergency police number or go to your nearest police station.
When the police arrive, you will have to provide your ID, insurance, and a narrative of what has happened. Make sure to collect as much information as possible about what has happened. Collect as much of this information as possible:
- License plate number of your vehicle and the other vehicles involved
- The other vehicle's make, model and color
- Description of damage to the other vehicle (take photos if possible)
- Which direction the other vehicle was headed
- Photos of the damage to your vehicle
- Location, date, time and cause of the accident
Inform your insurance and the DMV
Make sure to inform your insurance about the collision, and either you or your insurance company will have to file an SR-1 report with the DMV if damages are over $1000 or anyone was injured or killed.
To file an SR-1 report, you will need to provide: date and time of accident, and the location of the accident. You will also be asked for identification, including your driver's license, your vehicle registration card, and your insurance.
Follow-up
The police will provide you with a case number, and will contact you if they need more information or if your case is resolved. Make sure to keep your case number so you can download a police report to provide your insurance company. In 5-10 days, you will be able to access your full police report online.
Stolen Vehicle, Motorcycle, or Moped
Notify police
If your vehicle was just stolen, or if you have information on where your car is right now, call 911 immediately.
If your vehicle was stolen some time ago, you can either:
- Call the non-emergency SFPD hotline (415-701-2311) and wait for an officer to arrive (this will take some time, as this will be considered low priority since the crime is not in-progress)
- Go to your nearest police station to file a stolen vehicle report (this will probably be your fastest option)
In either case, have your driver's license, or other ID, and the following information ready:
- Vehicle make, model, description, plate information, and approximate value
- Where the vehicle was last seen, and when you found it missing
- Your contact information
Notify Insurance
It is important that you immediately notify your insurance company in the event that whoever stole your vehicle causes an accident.
Follow-up
The police will give you a form with a case number on it. In 5-10 days, you will be able to access a copy of your full police report online.
The police will notify you if your vehicle is recovered.
In the event that you find or recover your vehicle, you must first call the police (1-415-701-2311) so that they remove it from the stolen vehicle database. If you don't, then driving the vehicle could trigger a police response.
Stolen Bike
If you have an electric bike with serial numbers, you will need to report your stolen bike in person at your local police station.
Otherwise, if you have a regular bike:
- You can report your stolen bike online
- Follow the on-screen instructions. You will be asked for personal information, reports of the incident, and provide a narrative of what happened.
- Save the report number. In the event that you need to add supplemental information, you can do so by following the same link and adding further information to the report.
We recommend that if you own a bike in San Francisco that you purchase bicycle insurance. It's often less than ten dollars each month, and will cover the cost of your bicycle in the event that it is stolen.
Basic Theft
Basic theft does not apply to theft of:
- Passport
- Firearm
- License plates
- Car or electric vehicle
- Electric bikes, scooters, and segways WITH serial numbers
- Anything for a building (residential or commercial burglary)
If one of these cases applies to you, you will need to file a police report in person by either going to your nearest police station, or by calling the non-emergency police hotline at 1-415-701-2311 and waiting for an officer to come to you.
Otherwise, for theft that does not include any of these situations, you can file a police report online. You will be asked to identify yourself, as well as provide more information and a basic narrative. You can add additional information once a case number has been assigned to you.
Robbery
If anything is taken from you by force, threat of force, and/or by putting you in fear, it’s considered a robbery. Robbery is a broad category, so double check first that the other categories do not apply to you (such as a stolen car or bike, for instance).
All robbery incidents have to be filed in person, so you can either call the non-emergency San Francisco Police line at 1-415-701-2311 and wait for an officer to come to you, or go to your nearest police station.
You will be asked to provide identification, evidence of the robbery, and an itemized list of what was stolen and its value. The police will provide you with a case number, and will notify you if your possessions are recovered.
Home Burglary
If you have just experienced a home burglary or if there is someone currently in your home, call 911 immediately.
If your home burglary has happened recently, you will can either:
- File a police report in person at the station
- Or call the non-emergency police line (415-701-2311) and wait for a police officer to come to your home.
You will be asked to provide identification, any video evidence you have, and an itemized list of what was stolen including the cost of each item.
You will then be provided with a case number. You will be contacted by the police if your case is resolved.
Vandalism or Graffiti
If you have suspect information, video recordings of the crime, or other physical evidence of the crime (excluding pictures), then you will need to file your police report in person at your local police station.
However, if you only have pictures, you can file the police report online.
You may report a crime for either yourself, as an individual, or your businesses. You will then be asked to provide contact information, a description of the incident, and a narrative of what happened.
File a Police Report in English
Presentar un informe policial en español
Identity Theft / False Impersonation
These cases must be reported in person at your nearest police station. You will need to provide identification, evidence, and a narrative. You will be provided with a case number. The police will contact you in the event that they are able to resolve your case.
Harassing Phone Calls
You can file a police report for harassing phone calls online, but if you have either suspect information or video footage, you will need to file your report in person.
Witness a crime?
Text the anonymous police tip line at (415) 575-4444 or for narcotics-specific anonymous tips, text 1-800-272-2548. Or, call the non-emergency San Francisco Police Department phone number at (415) 553-0123 to report a tip.
https://www.sanfranciscopolice.org/contact-and-directory/anonymous-tip-lines
Filing a Police Report Outside of SFPD Jurisdiction
If your incident occurred in any of the following jurisdictions, you will need to file a police report with the respective agency:
BART Property (stations and plazas) – Call BART police at 1-877-679-7000 or visit Bay Area Rapid Transit Police website.
City College — Call City College Police at 1-415-239-3200 or visit City College District Police Department website.
On the Freeway — Call California Highway Patrol (CHP) at 1-800-835-5247 or visit California Highway Patrol website.
Golden Gate Bridge (including Visitor's Center) — Call CHP at [1-800-835-5247](tel:1-800-835-5247 or visit California Highway Patrol website.
Presidio — Call US Park Police at 1-415-561-5505 or visit United States Park Police website.
San Francisco State University — Call SFSU Police at 1-415-338-7200 or visit SFSU University Police Department website.
UCSF Campuses — Call UCSF Police at 1-415-476-5455 or visit UCSF Police Department website.
USF Campus — Call USF Dept. of Public Safety at 1-415-422-4222 or visit USF Campus Safety website.
Spot an error?
If you noticed an error in this guide, please let us know by emailing us at contact@growfs.org.