Hundreds of dollars are spent on electronics all the time, but would you see it again if it was stolen? Brown Deer police say there is a simple thing you can do to increase your chances of getting it back.

"We want to encourage people to jot down those serial numbers, in the unfortunate event in case they get stolen or a house is burglarized," said Officer Brad Caddock, Crime Prevention Officer with the Brown Deer Police Department.

If your stuff is stolen, that serial number would tell them what is yours

"We, as a police department, can enter those in state and national databases and when officers come across found property, they can run them against those databases and hopefully recover and return that property to those owners," Ofcr. Caddock

Electronics, like cell phones and laptops, have the serial numbers listed under the battery. Apple products, like the iPhone and iPad have the serial numbers listed in the "settings" tab. The serial numbers for Apple laptops are usually found on the back of the computer. Video games, and other electronics, might also have them printed on the box, as well as the device.

Police suggest either writing the serial numbers down, or taking pictures of them and emailing them to yourself. It'll also be a help if a thief tries to pawn your stuff. Pawn shops have a database that police can check. There is something else to consider. Many manufacturers have a way for you to register your product on their website.