To get a police report in China, first decide whether the event is an emergency, suspected theft or robbery, or an ordinary loss better checked with the venue's lost-and-found service. For a police report, contact the police with the exact time, place, item description, identity document, ownership evidence, and any available scene evidence. Ask what case number, receipt, or record the local office can provide, then confirm separately what your insurer requires. A police record does not guarantee an insurance payout.

Key Takeaways

Call 110 when there is immediate danger or a crime needs urgent police response; use venue staff or lost-and-found first for a simple misplaced item when safe.［1］

Preserve the time, location, item details, serial numbers, receipts, photographs, messages, and witness information.

Describe facts you observed and separate them from assumptions about theft.

Ask the police what reference number or written record is available in that jurisdiction.

Contact the insurer early because it controls deadlines, translations, originals, and claim evidence.

The police decide the record; the insurer independently decides coverage and payment.

When should you get a police report in China?

If anyone is injured, threatened, followed, or in immediate danger, move to a safe place and call 110. Beijing's official visitor guidance lists 110 for police and 120 for medical emergencies.［2］ Use the China emergency-number guide to prepare a concise location and incident description.

For an item left in a hotel, airport, train, taxi, restaurant, attraction, shop, locker, or luggage-storage facility, contact that venue or operator immediately. Staff may be able to check a seat, camera record, vehicle, or lost-and-found inventory faster than a general police inquiry. The luggage-storage guide explains what facility evidence to retain.

Situation	First route	Police route
Immediate danger, robbery, or active theft	Reach safety and call `110`	Urgent response and factual report
Item probably left at a known venue	Contact venue or operator	Ask police if not recovered or if crime is suspected
Passport, residence document, or sensitive ID missing	Secure accounts and contact the responsible authority	Report promptly and follow document-specific procedures
Insurer requests a police record	Ask insurer for exact requirements	Request the record available locally; do not demand a nonexistent form
Online account or payment also compromised	Freeze the relevant account through its official channel	Preserve transaction evidence and report suspected crime

What evidence should you prepare?

Write a timeline while the details are fresh. Record the last confirmed possession, discovery time, route, venue, vehicle or room number, people contacted, and steps already taken. List each item separately rather than using a vague total.

Bring or preserve:

passport or another accepted identity document, plus a safe copy;
item brand, model, color, distinctive marks, serial number, IMEI, or baggage tag;
purchase receipt, warranty record, photograph, registration, or account page showing ownership;
ticket, booking, hotel, taxi, storage, or payment record establishing place and time;
photographs, video, messages, location history, or witness contact details lawfully available to you;
an insurer's written checklist and policy or claim number, if already opened; and
a Chinese-speaking helper or translation route if precise communication is difficult.

Do not post full serial numbers, document numbers, keys, addresses, or account-recovery details publicly. If the lost item came from a hotel room, preserve the booking and accommodation details described in the hotel check-in guide.

How do you make the report step by step?

Deal with safety first and obtain medical help if needed.
Contact the venue, carrier, hotel, or operator and ask it to preserve relevant records.
Freeze payment cards, mobile wallets, SIM access, or device sessions when exposure is plausible.
Identify the local police station or call 110 when urgent response is appropriate.
Present your identity document and a concise factual timeline.
Describe each item and its evidence. Say clearly what you know, what you were told, and what you only suspect.
Provide lawful photographs, receipts, serial numbers, bookings, and witness details.
Ask for the case or incident reference, receiving office, officer contact route, and any receipt or written record that can be issued.
Read the record before acknowledging it when possible. Ask for correction of names, passport numbers, dates, locations, and item details that are inaccurate.
Save copies, record follow-up instructions, and send only the required material to the insurer through its official channel.

Shanghai's official guidance recommends calling police for theft and contacting the relevant place for lost property.［1］ The format and availability of a written record depend on how the local police classify and handle the event.

How do you prepare the insurance claim?

Call the insurer or assistance provider as soon as practical. Ask for the reporting deadline, required record type, whether a case number is enough initially, whether translation or certification is required, whether originals must be mailed, and what proof of ownership and value is accepted.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' older property-loss page lists useful preparation items such as a detailed loss description and proof relating to the property.［3］ Use it as a checklist only; its audience and process do not establish a general entitlement for every visitor to receive a specifically named certificate.

Insurer asks for	Verify before sending	Why
Police document	Exact name, format, deadline, translation	Local police may issue a different record
Proof of ownership	Accepted receipt, photo, serial or statement	Ownership and insured value are separate questions
Travel evidence	Booking, entry, hotel or transport record	Shows trip and incident context
Loss mitigation	Card lock, device lock, venue search	Demonstrates reasonable response
Original documents	Whether copies can open the claim	Originals can be difficult to replace

Troubleshooting and routing table

Problem	What to record	Next action
Police say it is a venue lost-and-found matter	Office, time, advice given	Return to the venue and preserve its written response
No standard English report is available	Reference number and Chinese document name	Ask insurer whether translation is accepted
Item description is wrong	Exact correction and supporting evidence	Request correction before leaving or through the stated route
Insurer requests a form police do not issue	Written insurer requirement and local response	Ask insurer for an accepted alternative
Phone or card is being used	Transaction, location, device and account records	Freeze access and report the suspected crime promptly
Property is recovered later	Recovery time, condition, and expenses	Notify police, venue, and insurer before disposing of evidence

Never pay an unofficial intermediary who promises a guaranteed police certificate or insurance approval. Do not sign a statement you do not understand; request translation help and keep the receiving office's official contact details.

Summary

Route emergencies and suspected crime to police; route simple misplaced items to the responsible venue first.
Prepare identity, timeline, item identifiers, ownership proof, and scene or booking evidence.
Ask for the record or reference the local police can actually provide.
Verify the record's factual details.
Confirm the insurer's separate deadlines and evidence rules; no police record guarantees payment.

FAQ

Should I call 110 for every lost item?

No. Use 110 for emergencies and police matters. If an item was probably left at a known venue and there is no danger, contact the venue or operator first, then ask police if crime is suspected or a formal report is needed.

Will the police give me an English report?

Do not assume so. Ask what record is available, then ask the insurer whether it accepts that document with a translation and who may prepare the translation.

Does a police report prove my insurance claim?

No. It records the incident according to the police process. The insurer separately assesses coverage, ownership, value, exclusions, deadlines, and evidence.

What if I do not have the purchase receipt?

Ask the insurer which alternatives it accepts, such as photographs, serial-number records, warranty documents, bank statements, or a retailer account history. Police and insurer requirements are different.

Should I describe an item as stolen if I only know it is missing?

State the facts and explain what makes you suspect theft. Do not present an assumption as an observed fact; classification belongs to the police.

What if the report contains an incorrect passport number or item detail?

Point it out immediately and ask for the authorized correction route. Keep evidence of the requested correction and do not alter an official document yourself.

Can a hotel or transport operator issue the insurance document instead?

It may issue its own incident or lost-and-found record, but only the insurer can say whether that is sufficient. Preserve both the operator response and any police reference.

What should I do if the property is recovered after I claim?

Notify the police office, venue, and insurer promptly. Follow the insurer's instructions about the item, payment, salvage, and any ongoing investigation.

Disclaimer: This guide provides general visitor information, not legal or insurance advice. Emergency response, incident classification, record format, investigation, translation, claim evidence, coverage, and payment are determined by the responsible Chinese authorities and the insurer.

A VPN cannot file a police report in China, correct its passport or item details, or decide whether an insurer accepts it. Keep the police record and the insurance claim as separate steps.

Sources

International Services Shanghai, Emergency and Lost-Property Guidance — https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-FAQs-StudyinShanghai/20250915/7d1f3333482d46b499c329622deed2cf.html
Beijing Municipal Government, Emergency Numbers — https://english.beijing.gov.cn/travellinginbeijing/quickguideontravelservices/traveltips/202108/t20210811_2466839.html
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Property-Loss Information Checklist — https://ipc.fmprc.gov.cn/bszn/201007/t20100714_785816.htm

Sources checked 31 August 2026.

Get a Police Report in China for Lost Property or Insurance