Category · Phones & electronics
Report a stolen phone, laptop or device
Phones, laptops, tablets and consoles are the most-listed stolen goods online. IMEI and serial numbers, plus 'Find My'-style locks, are what make them recoverable rather than just gone.
The identifier that gets it back: IMEI / serial number
Phone IMEI: dial *#06# or check Settings. Laptops and consoles carry a serial on the base and in your account. Keep the box — it has them too.
Types we watch
- Phone
- Laptop & tablet
- Games console
- TV & audio
- Smartwatch & wearables
- Networking & smart home
How theft and resale play out
- IMEI/serial frequently appears in listing photos or is asked for by buyers — a match point.
- Activation locks push thieves to sell 'for parts', a flag in itself.
- Devices are wiped and re-listed within hours, so register before you need to.
If yours is already gone
- Report it to police and keep the event/reference number.
- Register the phone, laptop or device on Theftsight (or mark it stolen) with the imei / serial number and photos.
- Share the record with your insurer — they can work the same candidate queue.
- If a listing matches, export the proof pack — never confront a seller alone.
National checklist: How to report a stolen item. See everything we recover.
Put your phone, laptop or device under watch
Register it in two minutes — private by default. If it's stolen, Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and eBay are scanned against it, and police and insurers on the network can see the case.