If your car has been stolen, report it to police straight away: call 000 if a tracker shows it moving right now, otherwise call 131 444 or report online. Give them the registration, VIN and a description, share any live tracking, then call your insurer, and never go after the car yourself.
The first 24 hours matter most, because a car that is still being driven can be found, while one that has reached a shed, a shipping container or a wrecking yard usually cannot.
This guide walks through each step in the order police in Australia ask for it, with what to do whether or not your car has a GPS tracker.
Contents
- Has your car been stolen, towed or borrowed?
- How do I report a stolen car in Australia?
- How do I track a stolen car?
- How do I find a stolen car without a tracker?
- Can I find a stolen car by its VIN?
- What should I do if I see my car?
Has your car been stolen, towed or borrowed?
Check that first, because a car that has been towed or borrowed is not a police matter, and ruling those out takes only a few minutes.
If you parked in a clearway, a loading zone or a private car park, call the local council or the car park operator and ask whether it was towed.
If a family member or friend might have taken it, call them before you call police, since a false report costs time you will need if the car really is gone.
If you lent your car to someone and they have not returned it as agreed, you can still report it to police, who will ask about the arrangement and decide how to record it.
How do I report a stolen car in Australia?
Call the police, and choose the line by how urgent it is.
- Call Triple Zero (000) if the theft is happening now, the thief is still at the scene, anyone is in danger, or your car has live tracking that you are watching right now.
- Otherwise, report it online or call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444, which most states and territories use for non-urgent reports.
- If you only have information about the thief, Crime Stoppers takes it confidentially on 1800 333 000.
Police will ask for the registration number and the state it is registered in, the make, model, year, body type and transmission, the colours of the body and upholstery, the engine and VIN numbers, and any accessories fitted, as Victoria Police lists on its vehicle theft page.
Write down the report or event number they give you, because your insurer will ask for it when you make a claim.
Then call your insurer the same day, and read our account of a car insurance claim after theft before you accept a payout.
In New Zealand, call 111 in an emergency, or report the theft to police online or on 105.
How do I track a stolen car?
Open your tracker’s app, check where the car is now, and share that location with police rather than going there yourself.
Victoria Police asks owners to call 000 when a stolen car has live tracking that is being actively monitored, and officers may ask for your app login so they can follow the car themselves.
That is how Richard Pittard got his car back within hours of it being stolen: “Literally police were intercepting the moving vehicle from tracker info,” he told us, and the thieves had searched the car without finding the tracker.
Many newer cars also have a manufacturer app that shows where the car is, so ask your dealer whether yours does and how to sign in to it.
A phone left in the car can help as well, although a thief can switch it off in seconds, which we compare in Find My Phone vs a GPS tracker.
How do I find a stolen car without a tracker?
Gather evidence for police and spread the word, but leave the recovery itself to them.
- Ask neighbours and nearby businesses for CCTV or doorbell footage, and check your own dashcam and home cameras.
- If an AirTag or a similar tag is in the car, check its location, keeping in mind that it is a Bluetooth tag that relies on passing phones rather than GPS, so its updates can be patchy.
- Post the car’s photo, registration and last known location in local community groups, but only after you have reported it.
- Watch Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree for the car or its parts, such as distinctive wheels.
- In Victoria, the police stolen vehicle check lists every vehicle reported stolen in the last 90 days.
If anyone sends you a tip, pass it to police or Crime Stoppers rather than following it up yourself.
Can I find a stolen car by its VIN?
Not by yourself, but the VIN still works for you once police have it.
When police record the car as stolen, that status shows on the national vehicle register, so anyone who searches the VIN on the PPSR before buying the car will see that it is stolen.
That makes the car much harder to sell or register, and it is why giving police the right VIN matters more than any search you could run online.
If you are on the other side of this and think you may have bought a stolen car, a PPSR search is also your first step.
What should I do if I see my car?
Do not approach it or try to take it back; call 000 and tell police exactly where it is and which way it is heading.
The thieves may be close by, and police can recover the car safely and check it for evidence before anyone touches it.
Once you have it back, follow our steps for a stolen car recovered, and read our guide to stolen vehicle recovery for what police and insurers do next.
Car theft is climbing again in several states, and our look at why car theft is rising again explains how thieves now get past keyless entry.
Once your car is back, a hidden GPS tracker shows you and the police where it is if it is ever taken again. Trusted by 30,000+ drivers.
Sources
| Source | Used for |
|---|---|
| Victoria Police: preventing motor vehicle theft | When to call 000, the 131 444 line, what police need, live tracking and app logins |
| Victoria Police: stolen vehicle check | Vehicles reported stolen in Victoria in the last 90 days |
| PPSR: used car search results | Stolen status on a VIN search |
| Crime Stoppers | Confidential tips on 1800 333 000 |
| New Zealand Police: 105 | Non-emergency reports in New Zealand |
