Applies when someone's phone, vehicle, or other movable property has been stolen, snatched, or taken by force, or when a house or shop has been broken into. The key point most people don't know: a cognizable offence like this can be reported at any police station, not only the one covering the area where it happened.
1. Work out which offence applies
Ordinary theft (taking movable property without consent, BNS s.303) is different from robbery (theft or extortion accompanied by force, or fear of instant death, hurt, or wrongful restraint, BNS s.309) and from lurking house-trespass or house-breaking (unlawfully entering a building to commit an offence, BNS ss.329-334). The description of events usually makes clear which one fits, and the police record the FIR accordingly.
2. Report the offence to the police as soon as possible
Theft, robbery, and house-breaking are cognizable offences, so a police officer is required to register an FIR under BNSS s.173(1) once the information discloses one of these offences.
3. File at any police station if the local one is inconvenient
BNSS s.173(1) allows registration of a 'Zero FIR' at any police station irrespective of where the offence occurred; it is later transferred to the police station with territorial jurisdiction, which assigns it a regular FIR number.
4. Check whether an online or e-FIR option exists in that state
A number of state police portals allow an online complaint for categories such as mobile theft, vehicle theft, or a lost article, but most require a visit to the police station within a few days afterward to sign the physical complaint.
5. Give the most specific description possible
Note the approximate time, date, and place; a description of the stolen item (IMEI number for a phone, engine and chassis number for a vehicle, serial numbers, or distinguishing marks); the manner of entry if a house or shop was broken into; and any witnesses or CCTV coverage nearby.
6. Obtain a copy of the FIR
BNSS s.173(2) entitles the informant to a free copy of the recorded FIR. This copy is usually what an insurer, employer, bank, or telecom provider will ask for afterward.
7. If a vehicle or an insured item was taken, start the insurance process alongside the FIR
Motor and other property insurers generally require the FIR copy at the outset and, if the item is not recovered, a police-issued 'non-traceable' report once investigation has run its course; the exact timeline and further documents required depend on the specific insurer's own policy terms.
8. Follow up if the investigation appears to have stalled
BNSS provisions require the police to keep an informant updated on the progress of the investigation in certain ways. If the FIR itself was refused rather than simply progressing slowly, the escalation route described under 'When the Police Refuse to Register Your FIR' applies instead.
9. If property is recovered
Recovered stolen property is generally produced before a Magistrate, and its release to the owner -- particularly while a case is pending -- is governed by BNSS provisions on disposal and interim custody of case property, so an order from the court may be needed before the item is handed back.
Digital Police Portal (Ministry of Home Affairs / CCTNS): https://digitalpolice.gov.in
Helpline: 100 / 112 (police emergency and non-emergency number)
Handled by: Local police station (jurisdictional or Zero FIR) -> investigating officer -> Magistrate for property disposal
Who can use this: Anyone whose movable property has been stolen, snatched, taken by force or threat, or removed after unlawful entry into a home or shop, or anyone reporting such an incident on the victim's behalf.
This does not cover: This does not cover money or data lost to online or digital fraud (a bank OTP scam, a fraudulent online payment, or a hacked account) -- that is reported separately as cyber fraud, generally through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. It also does not cover a dispute over who legally owns a piece of property, which is a civil ownership question rather than a theft complaint. Where a theft, robbery, or house-break-in also caused serious injury or death, the police record that separately and it may attract additional hurt or homicide provisions alongside the property offence.
Cost: Free (no fee is charged to file an FIR)
You'll need:- Approximate date, time, and place of the incident
- A specific description of what was taken (make, model, IMEI/serial/engine/chassis numbers where relevant)
- Names or descriptions of any suspects, if known
- Details of any witnesses or CCTV coverage nearby
- For a house or shop break-in, how entry appears to have been made
Documents that help:- Purchase invoice or ownership proof for the stolen item or vehicle
- Photographs of the scene, damaged locks, or points of entry
- Any CCTV footage obtained before it is overwritten
- Insurance policy document, if the item was insured
- Your own ID and address proof
What happens after: The FIR is registered (or, for a Zero FIR, transferred to the police station with territorial jurisdiction) and an investigating officer is assigned. The officer may record further statements, seek CCTV footage, and attempt to trace and recover the property; if property is recovered it is typically produced before a Magistrate before being released to the owner.
These are the remedies Indian law provides for this kind of situation -- not a recommendation, and not every remedy will apply to your own facts.
Zero FIR registration at any police station
Any police station, transferred to the station with jurisdiction
BNSS s.173(1) allows a cognizable offence such as theft, robbery, or house-breaking to be reported at any police station regardless of where it occurred, with mandatory registration and later transfer.
Escalation to the Superintendent of Police or DCP if the FIR is refused
Office of the Superintendent of Police / Deputy Commissioner of Police
BNSS s.173(4) allows a written complaint to the SP or DCP where a police station has refused to register the FIR for a cognizable offence.
Application for return or release of recovered property
Magistrate's court
Recovered stolen property is generally produced before a Magistrate, and BNSS provisions on disposal and interim custody of case property govern when and how it may be released to the owner.
State victim compensation scheme
District Legal Services Authority / State Legal Services Authority
BNSS s.396 requires State Governments to operate a victim compensation scheme, administered through the DLSA/SLSA, which may apply in certain cases such as where an accused cannot be traced or a trial does not conclude.
Can I file an FIR for theft at a police station that isn't in the area where it happened?
Yes. Under BNSS s.173(1), any police station must register a cognizable offence as a 'Zero FIR' regardless of where it occurred, and then transfer it to the station with territorial jurisdiction.
Can the police refuse to register an FIR because the stolen item's value is small?
No. Theft is a cognizable offence under BNS s.303, and the Supreme Court's Constitution Bench ruling in Lalita Kumari v. State of Uttar Pradesh, (2014) 2 SCC 1, holds that registration of an FIR is mandatory once the information discloses a cognizable offence, regardless of the value involved, with no discretion to delay or conduct a preliminary inquiry first.
What is the difference between theft and robbery?
Robbery, under BNS s.309, is theft or extortion carried out with force, or with the threat of instant death, hurt, or wrongful restraint. Theft alone, under BNS s.303, does not require that element of force or fear.
What is 'snatching'?
BNS s.304 is a newly codified offence covering the sudden, forcible seizing or grabbing of movable property from a person or their possession, distinct from ordinary theft or full robbery.
Is there a minimum value below which theft isn't treated as a crime?
No. BNS s.303(2) allows community service as one possible sentence for a first-time theft of property valued under five thousand rupees, but this affects sentencing, not whether the police must register the FIR.
Do I need the item's IMEI or serial number to file an FIR?
It is not mandatory, but providing it substantially helps both recovery efforts and any later insurance or telecom-provider claim.
Does filing an FIR guarantee my stolen property will be recovered?
No. The FIR starts an investigation, but recovery depends on the facts of the case and is not guaranteed.
Can I file an e-FIR online for a stolen phone or vehicle?
Several state police portals allow this for specific categories such as mobile theft, vehicle theft, or a lost article, though most still require visiting the station within a few days to sign the complaint in person.
What if my shop was broken into at night?
Lurking house-trespass or house-breaking committed after sunset and before sunrise attracts an enhanced punishment under BNS s.331, compared with the same act committed during the day.
Is house-breaking a bailable offence?
It depends on the specific circumstances -- basic house-trespass or house-breaking carries a lower maximum sentence, while house-breaking to commit theft, or house-breaking accompanied by hurt, attracts significantly higher punishment under BNS s.331.
Will an insurer reject my claim if I was slightly late in filing the FIR?
An insurer may question an unexplained, lengthy delay, since most motor policies expect prompt intimation; the specific timeline is set by that insurer's own policy terms, not by a single central law.
Who eventually investigates a Zero FIR?
Once registered, a Zero FIR is transferred to the police station that has territorial jurisdiction over the place where the offence occurred, and that station's officers carry out the investigation.
Governing law: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Source: BNS, 2023, ss.303 (theft), 304 (snatching), 309 (robbery), 329-334 (house-trespass/house-breaking); BNSS, 2023, s.173 (FIR registration, including Zero FIR). Lalita Kumari v. State of Uttar Pradesh, (2014) 2 SCC 1.
Aadhrix does not decide which route applies to you. This describes the official process as published — consider an advocate for advice specific to your situation.