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Stolen tools and machines in New Zealand: what Police and the PPSR say

This page reports what New Zealand Police say about reporting stolen property and what the Personal Property Securities Register says about checking used goods for money owing.

Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. Reporting a theft in the United Kingdom and the United States is on the page on police units and national registers. This page covers New Zealand, using the pages of New Zealand Police and of the Companies Office, which runs the Personal Property Securities Register.

Reporting a theft to Police

The Police page on stolen or attempted to steal property says that a person who has had property stolen, or an attempt made to steal it, for example in a burglary, can report it online to Police. It asks for identifying details in the report: make and model, colour and size, distinguishing features, and the serial number if the item has one. It says a payment card should be reported to the bank that issued it. It also says the person will receive a confirmation email with a reference number, and that the number can be used when claiming on insurance. The page suggests checking whether a contents insurance policy covers the loss, even for items that were not at home when they were taken.

The 105 page says 105 is the number for Police non-emergencies and can be called at any hour, every day. It says online report options sit on the same page, and that 111 is the emergency number for Police, Fire and Ambulance, to be used if something is happening now or someone is in danger. The page lists stolen property among its report types, next to retail theft, fraud and scams, and property damage. See the Police page on stolen property and the 105 non-emergency page.

The Personal Property Securities Register

The Personal Property Securities Register, known as the PPSR, is run through the Companies Office. Its own help centre calls it effectively an online noticeboard where a legal claim to personal property can be registered, and where a person can check whether any debt or obligation is attached to goods they may wish to buy. It names pre-owned vehicles, equipment and machinery as examples of goods a buyer can search for money owing. It says almost anything of value can secure a debt, apart from land, buildings and ships greater than 24 metres in length.

The help centre page on why people use the register describes the used-vehicle case: a search can tell a buyer whether any third party has registered a security interest in the vehicle. The register also offers a motor vehicle search, and the help centre lists separate searches by debtor person and debtor organisation. Using the register needs an online services account, which the page says takes only a few minutes to set up. The pages read do not list a fee for a search, and the register has a separate help topic on paying fees. A search of the register shows registered security interests. The pages read do not describe it as a check for stolen goods; that is the job of the Police report above. See the PPSR guide on what the register is and the PPSR page on why people use it.

Sources