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§ Section 158 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (StPO) - Criminal complaint, criminal complaint

If you have become aware of a criminal offense, regardless of whether you have been harmed yourself or have witnessed a crime, you can file a police report online. This will inform the prosecuting authorities about the event and the course of events.

You can file a criminal complaint regardless of whether you have been harmed, can testify to a criminal offense or are uninvolved. Fast processing is promoted by selecting the federal state in which the incident took place. You can file a report informally, by telephone, online and at the police station, either anonymously or by providing your contact details. The online report is an additional service.

Reporting a criminal offense is the main focus. A distinction is made between different offense groups. If the offense you wish to report is not listed, please select the offense group Other offense.

If you file a report, you are a witness in the criminal proceedings. Regardless of whether you have filed a report online, it may be necessary to summon you to the relevant police station as part of the further processing of the report, for example in order to be able to interview you personally as a witness.

It is also possible to attach photos, receipts or documents to the report as electronic attachments. This option should be used in particular to send evidence (proof of purchase, receipts or pictures of stolen items, damaged items or screenshots of screen content) to the police with the report.

Evidence (proof of purchase, receipts or pictures), if applicable

Anyone who has knowledge of a criminal offense can file a complaint. You do not have to meet any specific requirements.

None

A report can be submitted online, in writing, by telephone or verbally.

If you wish to submit the advertisement online:

There are several steps involved in filing a report online.

You can file a criminal complaint via the Internet portal. This can involve various offenses.

You call up the Internet Watch via a central URL. The federal state responsible for processing is selected via the location of the incident. After selecting the form for reporting other criminal offenses, you can enter basic information about yourself (e.g. personal details, cell phone number, email address). You can then enter data on the crime scene, the time of the crime, the perpetrator and the event itself. The recording is accompanied by legal instructions (witness or accused person instructions as well as the requirement to file a criminal complaint and the notice of discontinuation).

It is possible to submit documents such as proof of purchase, receipts and/or images such as screenshots, images of damage or stolen items with the report.

Once the report has been submitted, you will receive an e-mail with a case number and the contact details of the office responsible for processing the report.

The relevant police department will receive the report and check it. If you report a crime that was committed outside Germany or in another federal state, the prosecuting authority will forward the report to the competent authority.

Only if there are no grounds for investigation will the investigation be closed by the public prosecutor's office. The chances of success vary depending on the type of offense. Basically, the more information you provide, the better the chances of the police finding the perpetrator.

Anyone who knowingly and falsely suspects a person is committing a criminal offense. The law provides for a fine or a prison sentence of up to five years.

After receipt of the online notification, you will receive an email confirmation with a process number. The processing time depends on various factors. It is not possible to set a time limit.

There is no deadline to comply with. However, you should observe the respective limitation periods, as criminal offenses usually expire after a certain period of time.

If you file a complaint, you are basically a witness in the criminal proceedings. It may be necessary to summon you to the relevant police station as part of the further processing of your complaint, for example in order to be able to interview you personally as a witness.

Anyone who is aware of a criminal offense but does not report it may be liable to prosecution. No special formal requirements apply. Caution is advised when it is a suspected criminal offense. Defamation and false accusations are punishable by law, and the person who makes the report must expect legal action to be taken against them. Crimes such as murder, robbery, war crimes and treason must be reported.

A criminal complaint cannot be withdrawn. You should therefore think carefully about whether you want to press charges. According to the principle of legality, the authorities are then obliged to investigate.

Not applicable

• Police service for reporting a criminal offense
  • Recording an online report
  • Reporting a criminal offense (on the Internet)
  • Reporting another criminal offense
• Receive information about the online report
• Criminal complaint can be made on site or online
• Service can be provided with a contact address

Responsible: Police in the respective federal state in which the crime occurred

Police stations