In a bid to ease pressure on resources, the police are no longer able to assist with general lost and found property. Most forces in England and Wales can now only accept certain found items, including:
- Items which contain personal data (mobile phones, tablets, laptops etc.
- Illicit items (weapons, ammunition, drugs)
- Significant amounts of cash
- Items of high value
Anyone who contacts the police about something they have lost will now be redirected to private websites. Although most of these services are free, some carry a small charge for every item reported. Please see below for a summary of a few of these:
- Report My Loss: Service allows the public to report lost property for a small fee. This can be viewed by police and used as proof of loss for insurers
- Immobilise: Free registration, for reporting and protecting items with serial numbers
- Bike Register: Police approved bicycle marking and registration scheme
For further information on these sites, please see the links in related information.
Anyone wishing to report the theft of their property must attend a police station in person and bring with them some form of identity ideally containing their name, date of birth and current address.
Lost Driving Licence:
If you have lost your driving licence you will need to apply for a replacement. See link to DVLA in related information.
Lost Passport:
You must report the loss or theft of your passport to HM Passport Office. Fill in and sign a Lost or Stolen (LS01) Notification form and return it to the IPS. The address is on the form.
The form is available from,
- UKPS offices
- The Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000
- Post Offices and some World Choice travel agents
- Immigration officers at ports of entry into the UK
- Police Stations
Alternatively, you can do so online, using the link in Related Information.
You should fill the form in even if you do not wish to replace your passport. The system has been introduced in order to help combat identity theft.
If you are abroad when your passport is lost or stolen you need to report it as such and cancel it online. If you experience difficulties online you can go to the nearest British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate and they will assist you in cancelling your passport and obtaining emergency travel documents.
Once you have reported your passport as lost or stolen you will be able to apply for a replacement passport.
Found Passport:
If you find a British Passport you must send it to HM Passport Office as soon as possible. Instructions on how to do so can be found in Related Information.
