Re: Or...
Except the police won't. I take it you've never actually tried to get them to do anything regarding stolen property or money less than ten grand.
Most police forces are stats driven. You know, got to show crime is falling, cops are better at solving crimes than last year etc. The best way to achieve this is to duke the stats, so you are strongly discouraged from having crimes officially reported. No official report = no official crime numbers.
My partner had her identity stolen. They used her bank account to pay insurance on a car amongst other things. The bank and insurance where very helpful, but the cops where an absolute stonewall. It took an hour in the station before it was even accepted that any report be made, and only because I claimed the insurance company insisted on.
So the police have clear evidence of misappropriated funds, the address and registration of a car that was being used by the crooks, and they didn't want to even take the case details down. Because they know they won't catch the person.
However, as much as cops don't want you going vigilante, often showing up at the crooks place of residence (or work) with a few friends and ask them for the phone back that they mistakenly picked up.