Vandalism is the intentional and illegal defacing, destroying or damaging of private or public property. Vandalism may be a misdemeanor or felony offense depending on the amount of the property damage and state law. In many states, damage to property valued at less than $400 falls into the category of a misdemeanor and property damage of $400 or more constitutes a felony. Filing a police report holds the vandal accountable for the damage and helps the police to document vandalism crime in the area. The police report may also be requested by your insurance company.
Take photographs of the vandalism damage. The police report will ask you to submit pictures of the damage with the report.
Contact the police department that has jurisdiction where the vandalism occurred. A report can be filed in person at the police station and, in some cases, on the telephone or online as well. Describe the type of vandalism involved to the police officer on the telephone. You will be asked to present a valid ID.
Read More: What Do Police Do When a Car Is Vandalized?
Fill out a complete and full description of the property damage. Give specific and concrete details about the property, the ways in which it was damaged and the extent of the damage. Include a cost estimate for cleanup, repairs or replacement of the property.
Provide information about suspects involved in the vandalism if this information is known to you. Information about suspects usually requires filing the report in person at the police station. Write the name of the suspect(s), date of birth, address and telephone of the suspect in the correct spaces on the report.
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Writer Bio
Robert Russell began writing online professionally in 2010. He holds a Ph.D. in philosophy and is currently working on a book project exploring the relationship between art, entertainment and culture. He is the guitar player for the nationally touring cajun/zydeco band Creole Stomp. Russell travels with his laptop and writes many of his articles on the road between gigs.