Short Answer
You can submit an official criminal complaint through an online municipal portal without visiting a physical station or speaking fluent German. Every federal state manages a digital portal called an "Onlinewache" that collects incident data through structured web forms.
What Most Expats Don't Realize
Your smartphone was pocketed at a crowded train station and you avoided filing a report because you couldn't explain the theft in complex German sentences. Your premium property insurance policy rejected your replacement claim three weeks later because you failed to provide an official police file registration number within their strict claim window. You lost €900 on a replacement device out of pocket because you prioritized avoiding a language barrier over executing the basic administrative paperwork.
What To Do
- Open your internet browser and navigate to the official "Onlinewache" portal for the specific German state where the incident occurred.
- Download your final completed digital receipt containing the automated "Aktenzeichen" case tracking number.
- "Hier ist das Aktenzeichen für meine Versicherung." (Here is the case number for my insurance.) — email this phrase along with your digital police receipt to your insurance provider to satisfy their strict evidence criteria.
The Truth
The Onlinewache is a data collection tool. Don't expect a detective to call you the next day for a stolen phone; it’s mostly for the paperwork you need to satisfy your insurance company.