The worst of it is that money forfeited is NOT returned to the person it was stolen from. This is one of those things that is so obvious everyone thinks that this is what happens but in fact does not happen in many cases. The police may themselves sell the recovered stolen goods instead of returning them. You don't have any recourse.
So the only thing you can achieve by reporting a theft is that someone gets subjected to the US justice system (assuming they do anything at all). It is highly unlikely you get anything back. So you shouldn't do it to recover your goods.
Furthermore, reporting anything to the police has extra consequences:
1) they will investigate, and may find something wrong with you
2) they may report it to other government organizations which may use it in ways you did not anticipate and really don't want (e.g. child services: your house was broken into and is "not livable")
3) just the association, or that the neighborhood sees police officers near/in your house will spread and may have consequences.
There's nothing to gain from using the justice system and everything to lose.
So the only thing you can achieve by reporting a theft is that someone gets subjected to the US justice system (assuming they do anything at all). It is highly unlikely you get anything back. So you shouldn't do it to recover your goods.
Furthermore, reporting anything to the police has extra consequences:
1) they will investigate, and may find something wrong with you
2) they may report it to other government organizations which may use it in ways you did not anticipate and really don't want (e.g. child services: your house was broken into and is "not livable")
3) just the association, or that the neighborhood sees police officers near/in your house will spread and may have consequences.
There's nothing to gain from using the justice system and everything to lose.