My laptop was stolen but "Find My Mac" has located it. Now how do I get it back?

Well, I did contact the police with all this information. They actually went to one of the houses with me (the one on the corner) and it was an old man who was very polite who lived at home alone and didn't seem like the type. Instead of knocking on the other doors with me, the police said, "Your locating program is probably just wrong and it's not here." he wouldn't knock on any other doors so I plan on going tomorrow morning and knocking but the chances of anyone confessing are slim so I don't know what approach to go at with them. I don't know why find my mac doesn't let you leave a message like find my iPhone because I would leave a message saying "this mac has been misplaced. If you return it, the owner will reward you with $500 without pressing charges or asking how you came across the laptop. Please call -------, but, no. All I can do is knock. lol

lol. It's not an accusation if I simply inform them my laptop has been misplaced and was located around the vicinity of their home and ask them if they happened to have come across it and would like $500 for the safe return. As of right now, any option is a better option than letting it go. The content on the laptop is worth more to the owner than the price of the laptop and it's worth the risks at hand.

Do you know what ways I could get the serial number of my laptop if I don't have it on hand. Is it possible to call apple support to get it?

Sadly, no. She didn't back it up 😟 otherwise, I'd probably let this go. I believe she bought it at the gateway apple store? Do they have records of it back 3 years?