When taking stolen property reports, what information should you try to acquire?

• A. Serial number of the property stolen for NCIC
• B. Purchase date of the item
• C. Color of the item
• D. Brand of the item

Answer: (A)

Serial numbers provide a unique identifier for the property, which is essential for linking a theft report to a specific item. They allow you to enter the item into NCIC’s stolen property files and enable quick, cross-agency matching when the item is recovered. This makes ownership verification and recovery much more reliable across jurisdictions. Descriptive details like purchase date, color, or brand can help describe the item, but they aren’t unique and can be unreliable or altered, so they don’t offer the same definitive identification or recovery potential. If a serial number is available, capture it accurately, include it in the report, and photograph the item if possible; if not, gather other distinguishing identifiers and document them for investigators.