More like you get it back when the drug dealer who's thieving client trades it to him in lieu of cash gets busted and the cops comb his apartment looking for anything else they can charge him with and check the serial vs their list.

There’s really only three reasons (or four) to report theft:

1. It’s serialized and you want it on the recovery lists

2. You need the report for an insurance claim

3. You want to be counted in statistics used to determine policing levels

4. The item could be used in a crime and you want to be cleared (think stolen car, stolen gun)