Stolen vehicles 
If your vehicle is stolen , report it to the police and your auto insurance company as soon as possible. The police will enter the information into national and state auto theft computer records. The theft will be noted on your vehicle title record to help prevent someone from selling the vehicle or applying for a title. 

How can I report stolen plates? 
Ask the police to complete a' Report of Lost or Stolen Motor Vehicle Items' form MV-78B for your stolen plates. The form is different from the stolen vehicle report , and it's available only from police agencies, not from DMV. Make a copy of the MV-78B report for your records, and bring the original form to a DMV office to surrender your registration. For further information , see Report or Replace Lost or Stolen Plates [1]. 

Do I need a duplicate (replacement) title? 
If your vehicle is not recovered , you may have to transfer ownership to your insurance company using your title certificate. If you have lost your title certificate , you must apply for a duplicate title. See Replace a Title Certificate [2] for more information. A duplicate title issued when a vehicle is stolen is marked to show the vehicle is stolen and that the duplicate title is valid for insurance transfer only. If your vehicle is recovered before you transfer the " insurance transfer only " title to your insurance company , make sure the police have cancelled the stolen vehicle alarm. Then send the title to the Title Bureau along with a letter explaining that your vehicle was recovered, and DMV will issue a regular title. The address for the Title Bureau is Title BureauNYS DMVPO Box 2750Albany , NY 12220 - 0750 

What if my title was not yet issued? 
If the vehicle was stolen before you were able to apply for registration and title in your name , you must first apply for a title in your name in order to transfer ownership to your insurance company. Obtain a letter from the insurance company on their letterhead stating that p

user: Hello, I need to know what to do in case my vehicle is stolen.

assistant: Was your vehicle stolen?

user: Yes, what should I do?

assistant: you have to report it to the police inmediately. The police will input the records of your vehicle in the national and state auto theft computer records to prevent the selling of the vehicle and that someone applies for a title.

user: And what to do if my vehicle suffers any damage?

assistant: You would have to contact your insurance company and not apply for plates or registrations until the insurance company solves the matter.

user: and what should I do after recovering my plate and filled the MV-78B form?

assistant: for that matter, you can bring the plate to a DMV office and apply for new plates and re-instate your registration.

user: Now please, tell me about what to do after the vehicle is recovered.

assistant: In case the vehicle is recovered, the first thing you should do is to make sure the police cancel the alarm of stolen vehicle so the recovery can be listed on your title record. You should not use your vehicle until the police cancel the alarm.

user: Right, now what if my plates are stolen?

assistant: For stolen plates you can ask the police to complete a "Report of Lost or Stolen Motor Vehicle Items" form MV-78B for the stolen plates. This is a different form from the stolen vehicle report and you can get it only from police agencies, not from the DMV.