How to Call the Police When Travelling Abroad

When should you call the police?

Contact the local police immediately if you witness or are the victim of:

• Theft, pickpocketing or bag-snatching
• Physical assault or threat of violence
• A traffic accident involving injury
• A missing person
• Any other criminal offence

Find the correct police number

The police emergency number varies by country. Common numbers include 911 (USA, Canada, Mexico), 999 (UK, Ireland), 110 (Germany, China, Japan), 112 (pan-European), and 17 (France). Always check our country directory before you travel.

What to tell the police operator

1. Your location – be as specific as possible (street name, building number, GPS pin).
2. Nature of the incident – briefly describe what has happened.
3. Description of suspect (if applicable) – approximate height, clothing, direction of travel.
4. Your contact number – so an officer can call you back.

After calling the police

Ask for a police report number (crime reference number). You will need this for:

• Insurance claims for stolen belongings
• Replacing a stolen passport (required by your embassy or consulate)
• Cancelling stolen bank cards (some banks require a crime reference)

Lost or stolen passport

Report it to police first, then contact your country's embassy or consulate. Most embassies can issue an emergency travel document within 24–48 hours. Keep a photo of your passport's data page on cloud storage so you can retrieve it quickly.

Non-emergency police contact

For non-urgent matters (e.g. reporting a minor theft after the fact), most countries have a separate non-emergency line. In the UK this is 101; in the USA it is the local police station's direct number. Using the non-emergency line keeps the emergency line free for life-threatening situations.