In case the vehicle is recovered, the first thing you should do is to make sure the police cancel the alarm of stolen vehicle so the recovery can be listed on your title record. You should not use your vehicle until the police cancel the alarm.
Right, now what if my plates are stolen?
For stolen plates you can ask the police to complete a "Report of Lost or Stolen Motor Vehicle Items" form MV-78B for the stolen plates. This is a different form from the stolen vehicle report and you can get it only from police agencies, not from the DMV.
One more thing. What if the vehicle is not recovered?