Crime Alerts » Henrico County, Virginia

Stay Alert. Stay Safe.

Be aware of crime happening around you and take precautions to keep yourself, your loved ones, and your property safe.

December 2025

South American Theft Group Burglary Trend Appears in Henrico

The Henrico County Police Division is investigating several burglaries that appear to be connected to a national crime trend involving the South American Theft Group (SATG). Since early November, there have been 14 reports of home burglaries that appear to be connected to this trend; most of these crimes were committed in the Three Chopt Magisterial District of Henrico County, however, there have been victims in the other districts as well.

Nationwide, the trend shows the thieves who are part of this group typically target wealthy individuals, athletes, and/or business owners. Please note, most of these burglaries occur when no one is home. These individuals use a variety of methods to track down where the victims live.

In Henrico, the recent burglaries happened anywhere between 4 and 10 p.m. The thieves, typically a group of 3-5 people, are forcing their way into the home through the back door or window. The home is then ransacked for cash and other high-value items including high-end jewelry, designer handbags and precious metals. Detectives within the Henrico Police Criminal Investigations Section continue to investigate these cases and follow up on leads.

Over the last few weeks, several detectives have met with community members and business owners to provide them with information about this crime trend and safety tips. Additionally, personnel within our Patrol Bureau and Community Policing Unit continue to patrol areas where these crimes have occurred and share information about best crime prevention tips. Anyone who may be a victim, but has not filed a report, is strongly encouraged to contact Henrico Police at (804) 501-5000.

With the holiday season underway, and folks possibly traveling out-of-town, the Henrico County Police Division urges homeowners to practice the following safety tips:

HOME SECURITY TIPS:

Consider purchasing a tamper resistant outdoor camera (consider stand-alone cameras that record on an SD card and don’t depend on WiFi);
Consider investing in a monitored alarm system that is connected to the household power directly (loss of power will notify the alarm company);
Consider safety glass for doors/windows that are more difficult to enter through if broken;
Store any valuables in a safe or safe deposit box;
If traveling out-of-town for an extended period, stop mail and newspaper deliveries and put your lights on timers so there is an appearance of occupancy;
Include exterior lighting on the timer cycle.

As with any potential crime, please be on the lookout for:

Two (2) or more perpetrators;
Suspicious Solicitors: They may arrive in larger groups in a cul-de-sac, with the aim of obtaining information on home occupants, pets, security cameras, alarms and valuables;
Individuals who may travel in SUVs and/or high end vehicles;
Individuals who may drop off a group and then leave;

Suspicious persons/vehicles should be reported to Henrico Police at (804) 501-5000, or by use of the online reporting system (DORS). Click here to find more information on a variety of crime prevention and public safety tips.

August 2025

How to Safely Intervene During a Domestic-Related Situation

You only have a few seconds to intervene, but you hesitate. This happens to many of us when we witness a situation we believe might be domestic violence. Often, we talk ourselves out of intervening due to a fear of embarrassment or endangering ourselves, or we second guess our perceptions. However, there are possible ways to intervene if you think you are witnessing domestic violence in a public place.

Contact Police. If you witness domestic violence occurring call 911. Witnessing domestic violence means that you are seeing an altercation occur or overhearing one that is actively occurring.

Group Intervention. You might not feel comfortable approaching the couple on your own. Ask an employee or another citizen if they will approach the couple with you to ask if help is needed.

Provide Diversion. This may be one way to help the situation you are witnessing from intensifying further. There are a few ways to provide potential diversions.

If you feel it is safe, consider letting the person using abusive behavior know that you are present. This can be accomplished by turning up the radio in your car, placing a real or fake conversation on your cell phone about what you are witnessing, or coughing loudly or something else that lets the couple know that you are close by and a witness to what is occurring.

Again, if you feel it is safe, consider striking up a conversation with the person you are concerned about by asking if they have the time, acting like you are old friends, or asking them where they got their clothes from. This may help to deescalate the conflict or allow you to safely separate the person you are concerned about by asking if you can talk to them away from the other person. Ask them if they need help, briefly share your concern, listen to them, and let them know there are confidential 24-hour helplines available for them to talk about what they are going through. Safe Harbor operates one of these helplines; the phone number is 804-500-2755.

The reality is, if domestic violence is going to stop, we need to help and support victims who are often unable to speak out for themselves. Using caution is essential when choosing to approach a suspected domestic violence situation. It is safest to approach only when there are other people around, when you do not see or suspect a weapon is involved, and you feel that it is safe for you to do so. Your comfort level is of upmost importance when determining how to best intervene. Remember, even if your attempts are not welcome, leaving an abusive relationship is often a process and not a single event. A person knowing that someone else is concerned about their well-being could go a long way.

November 2024

String of Vandalisms Across Henrico

Henrico Police is investigating a number of vandalisms that occurred across the county in October and November.

During the early morning hours of October 19, several homes and vehicles sustained damage from a possible airsoft gun. There were also a number of vehicles rummaged through. It is believed the suspect(s) were traveling around the neighborhoods in a small sedan, as seen on several surveillance cameras.

Several weeks later during the overnight hours of November 15-16, several businesses and vehicles sustained damage in a similar fashion. These incidents occurred along the W. Broad Street corridor and near Williamsburg Road close to the Henrico/Richmond city line.

Detectives believe the October and November incidents are related. Henrico Police is asking for the public’s help in investigating these cases. If anyone has possible video of the suspect(s) or their vehicle, please upload your video via the Community Portal. Additional information can be sent to Detective A. Lehatto and Detective M. Zinn at [email protected]. You can also submit tips anonymously via Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000 or by using P3tips.com.

October 2024

High-Valued Package Larcenies

Recently, there have been package thefts nationwide involving high-valued items after they have been delivered. Locally, one incident occurred in late September in the Fairfield Magisterial District.

With companies offering discount days and holiday shopping in the near future, Henrico Police is asking all consumers to practice the following safety tips:

Ship packages to your work or to someone who is home during the day;
Use delivery instructions to ask drivers to put packages out of sight (behind a plant, etc.);
Ask someone to pick up your packages for you;
Take advantage of store or locker pickup

If you believe you’ve been the victim of a crime, please call (804) 501-5000 to file a report with the Police Division.

Nov. 3, 2023

Break-ins at Buddhist Temples

Henrico Police is investigating several break-ins at Buddhist temples in Henrico County.

On Monday, October 30, 2023, at approximately 1:20 p.m., Henrico Police responded to the 2200 block of Mountain Road for a reported breaking and entering. Once on scene, officers spoke with the complainant who stated three men kicked in the back door to the temple, before fleeing the property. Nothing was reported as stolen during this incident. In January 2023, Henrico Police responded to this same location for a burglary.

Meanwhile, at approximately 6:38 p.m. that same day (10/30), Henrico Police responded to the 2400 block of Old Hanover Road for a reported breaking and entering. Once on scene, officers spoke with the complainant who said someone had kicked in the back door of the temple. Several items were taken along with cash at this location.

Currently, detectives are working to determine whether these two incidents are connected.

Unfortunately, break-ins at Buddhist temples are trending across the United States. The Henrico County Police Division has met with officials within the temples to provide tips on how to best prevent these types of incidents. Those safety tips include:

Walk around your home/business/place of worship and look for any weaknesses. These could include unlocked windows or doors, poor lighting, overgrown shrubbery providing hiding spots, and so forth.
- Make sure all doors and windows are secured when the building is not in active use.
Invest in a camera system, and make sure it is turned on and functioning properly and captures all areas around your home/business/place of worship as well as activity in the street in front of the property.
Do not leave large amounts of cash, jewelry, or anything of great value in your home/business/place of worship unsecured.
- For best safety practices, refrain from keeping any cash within a place of worship.
Be vigilant, look for and report any suspicious activity.

Henrico Police continues to build relationships with these faith-based communities in Henrico to help them better protect their places of worship.

“We’re grateful for the collaborative effort among our Patrol Officers, Criminal Investigators, and Community Policing Officers helping combat crime in these faith-based communities,” said Henrico Chief of Police Eric D. English. “Oftentimes, there are language barriers when our officers respond to a call for service. We’re thankful to have officers within the Division who can speak a second language, which allows us to thoroughly gather information and move forward with investigating the incident. These efforts help showcase our Division’s motto of One Team, One Community, Safer Together.”

Anyone with information related to these break-ins is asked to contact Henrico Police at (804) 501-5000. You can also submit tips via Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000 or by using P3tips.com; both methods are anonymous.

Vietnamese and Khmer (Cambodian) translations can be found here.

Kia and Hyundai Thefts on the Rise

Henrico Police is urging Kia and Hyundai vehicle owners to take precautions after a spree of thefts since Fall 2022. These vehicle thefts are potentially tied to a viral social media trend. These thieves are targeting specific brands of vehicles – Kias and Hyundais – manufactured between the years of 2010-2021 that use a mechanical key.

In most of these cases, significant damage is done to the steering columns of the vehicles. Henrico Police is encouraging vehicle owners to do the following:

Purchase a wheel lock to prevent someone from stealing your vehicle and/or invest in audible alarms, GPS systems or other theft deterrents
Be sure to close windows, lock your doors, keep valuables out of plain view and do not leave your keys in the vehicle
If you have a garage, park your vehicle inside or park in a well-lit area
Contact your local Kia or Hyundai dealership to find out what options may be available for your make/model

Both vehicle manufacturers have asked vehicle owners to check if their vehicle has this security system, and if so, to bring it to a dealership to get it updated.

If you are a Hyundai owner, please check your VIN number at hyundaiantitheft.com. For Kia owners, check your VIN number here.

Anyone with information regarding any of these crimes is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 804-780-1000 or submit via P3tips.com; both methods are anonymous.

Home Burglaries Involving Owners of Businesses on the Rise

Henrico Police has identified a reoccurring trend of home burglaries involving owners of businesses. Multiple incidents have been reported within the last few months (end of 2022-early 2023). Please know, Henrico Police is working to investigate, develop suspects and make arrest for these crimes.

We do recommend that you use some of these Crime Prevention tips to reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim:

Be vigilant, look for suspicious activity when traveling to and from work. Change your daily routine. Leave at different times and take different routes. Report any suspicious activity including unknown suspicious persons and vehicles in your neighborhoods by calling 911 or our non-emergency number 804-501-5000. This includes lawn care workers or maintenance personnel you do not recognize.
Be aware that sometimes individuals will conduct surveillance of your home a few days prior by pretending to be pizza delivery drivers, package delivery persons, stating they are lost, requesting to use the restroom and/or looking to buy property in the area. Do not allow those individuals into your home. They will often park vehicles nearby or on a next street over.
Walk around your home and look for any weaknesses. These could include unlocked windows or doors, poor lighting, overgrown shrubbery providing hiding spots, and so forth. Henrico Police offers free Home Security Audits to county residents. To schedule a Home Security Audit, call the Community Services Unit at 804-501-4838 or email [email protected].
Most burglaries take place when the homeowners are away. Create the illusion that you are home. Leave on lights or televisions. These can be set on timers or set up remotely through your phone or home security system.
Do not leave large amounts of cash, jewelry, or anything of great value in your home unsecured. If you do leave these items in your home invest in a home safe that can be mounted to the floor for extra security.
Invest in a camera system, and make sure it is turned on and functioning properly and captures all areas around your home as well as activity in the street in front of your home.

If you suspect that you are being targeted on any of the above ways, please contact Henrico Police by calling 911 or our non-emergency number 804-501-5000.

For additional safety tips please visit henrico.gov/police/brochures.

More Crime Data & Resources

Report Suspicious Activity

Always report suspicious activity. Call Henrico Police at (804) 501-5000 or 911 in an emergency.

Submit Crime Tips

If you have information about a crime, call Henrico Police at (804) 501-5000. Submit your tip anonymously to Crime Stoppers through its P3Tips app or by calling (804) 780-1000.