Reporting a Crime
Essential phrases to report an incident, give a statement, and handle the immediate aftermath at a French police station.
Key Phrases
On m'a piqué mon sac !
casualSomeone swiped my bag!
The verb 'piquer' is a very common informal way to say 'to steal'.
On m'a volé mon sac à dos.
neutralSomeone stole my backpack.
'On m'a volé' (Someone stole from me) is the standard and most natural way to report a theft.
Je viens signaler le vol de mon portefeuille.
politeI am here to report the theft of my wallet.
Formal and direct; excellent for opening the conversation with a police officer.
Ça s'est passé il y a dix minutes, au coin de la rue.
neutralIt happened ten minutes ago, on the street corner.
Use the expression 'ça s'est passé' to mean 'it happened'.
Je regardais mon téléphone quand un homme me l'a arraché.
neutralI was looking at my phone when a man snatched it from me.
The contrast between the ongoing action (imparfait) and the sudden event (passé composé) is essential here.
C'était un mec qui portait un pull à capuche noir.
casualIt was a guy wearing a black hoodie.
'Un mec' is widely used informal slang for 'a guy'.
C'était un jeune homme qui avait les cheveux très courts.
neutralIt was a young man who had very short hair.
Uses the relative pronoun 'qui' to naturally connect descriptions.
J'avais tout dedans, mes clés et ma carte bancaire.
neutralI had everything in it, my keys and my bank card.
Il faut que je fasse une déclaration pour mon assurance.
neutralI need to make a statement for my insurance.
Uses the subjunctive 'fasse'; required when interacting with travel insurance.
Je voudrais déposer plainte formellement, s'il vous plaît.
politeI would like to formally file a police report, please.
'Déposer plainte' is the official legal term for filing a criminal report.
Est-ce que je peux avoir une copie du rapport ?
neutralCan I get a copy of the report?
Pourriez-vous me donner une copie du procès-verbal ?
politeCould you give me a copy of the police report?
'Le procès-verbal' (often abbreviated to PV) is the specific official police document you will need.
Il faut absolument que j'appelle ma banque pour bloquer ma carte.
neutralI absolutely need to call my bank to block my card.
Another subjunctive trigger ('Il faut que') paired with a critical post-theft action.
Est-ce que vous me contacterez si vous retrouvez quelque chose ?
neutralWill you contact me if you find anything?
Uses the futur simple tense to ask about next steps.