Henrico County ranked fifth in population among 247 Virginia localities in 2010 and experienced the third-highest crime incident rate among those five jurisdictions, according to data released last week by the Virginia State Police.

Overall, Henrico experienced 15,498 reported incidents – a rate of 5,049.27 incidents per 100,000 residents, which placed it 69th in that category statewide.

The state's largest locality, Fairfax County, had a crime incident rate of just 3,380.01 per 100,000 residents. Virginia Beach, the second largest locality, experienced a rate of 6,239.81, and Chesterfield County, the fourth-largest jurisdiction, had a rate of 5,408.93.

Henrico and Chesterfield – neighbors and also the two most similar jurisdictions from a population standpoint – also reported similar crime numbers last year, according to the state data.

The Crime in Virginia 2010 report provided data in 24 crime categories; Henrico's reported incidents in 12 of those categories were higher than those of its counterpart south of the river, while Chesterfield reported more incidents than Henrico in the other 12.

Henrico reported more murders; kidnappings; robberies; aggravated assaults; arson cases; larcenies; motor vehicle thefts; counterfeit cases; embezzlement cases; stolen property cases; gambling incidents; and prostitution cases, while Chesterfield reported more rapes; other forcible sexual offenses; simple assaults; extortion cases; burglaries; fraud cases; vandalism cases; drug and narcotics offenses; non-forcible sex offenses; pornography cases; bribery cases; and weapon law violations.

According to the statistics, in 2010, Henrico experienced:

• 12 murders;

• 1,217 reports of burglary and 6,102 cases of larceny;

• 74 reports of kidnapping or abduction;

• 46 reports of rape or other sexual offenses;

• 364 automobile thefts;

• 248 cases of robbery;

• 220 cases of aggravated assault;

• 91 incidents of arson;

• 1,306 incidents of drug or narcotics offenses;

• 91 incidents of prostitution.

In 2010, Henrico employed 586 police officers – about one for every 523 citizens. By comparison, Fairfax employed one for every 744 residents; Chesterfield one for every 667 residents; and both Richmond and Virginia Beach one for every 565 residents.

Read the entire report here: Crime_in_Virginia_2010.pdf