HARRISONBURG, Va. (ROCKTOWN NOW) – Virginia State Police has released its annual statewide crime figures for 2023 and although the violent crime rate increased slightly last year over 2022, the number of reported homicides decreased over 16 percent from 621 to 520.

Overall, the violent crime rate, which includes murder, forcible sex offenses, robbery and aggravated assault, increased by just over one percent last year.

Other figures show motor vehicle thefts and attempted thefts increased eight percent compared to 2022, drug arrests increased overall by 18 percent and hate crime incidents increased by 49 percent compared to 2022.

Around two-thirds of those hate crimes were racially or ethnically motivated.

However, burglaries statewide decreased by over three percent between 2022 and 2023. That continues the downward trend over the last decade.