Overall crime in Carroll County increased by almost 100 incidents, or 14 percent, during the first three months of the year compared with the same period of 1993.

However, murder, rape and breaking and entering incidents decreased, according to a Uniform Crime Report issued by the state police recently. The information for the report comes from state police and the municipalities around the county.

Theft, the category with the largest increase, went from 474 incidents last year to 544 in the first quarter of 1994. Motor vehicle thefts increased from 28 to 38 during the same period, according to the report.

Robbery, a "Part One" violent crime along with murder and rape, increased from 13 to 20 incidents and aggravated assault rose from 28 to 49 incidents for the first quarter of the year.

Officers in the county investigated one homicide and six rape offenses reported in 1994.

The report said that 805 crimes occurred within the county during January through March of this year, compared with 706 in the same period last year, an increase of 99 crimes.

Crime in Maryland, as measured by the Crime Index Offenses, decreased 1 percent, the report said.

FIRST-QUARTER CRIME

=1

Crime ... ... ... 1993 ... ... ... ... 1994

Murder ... ... ... ... 2 ... .. ... ... ... 1

Rape .. .. ... ... ... 10 .. .. ... ... ... 6

Robbery .. ... ... ... 13 .. .. ... ... ... 20

Aggravated Assault ... 28 .. .. ... ... ... 49

Breaking/entering ... 151 ... .. .. ... ... 147

Larceny ... ... .. .. 474 ... .. .. ... ... 544

Vehicle theft ... ... 28 ... ... ... .. ... 38

Arson* ... ... .. ... 9 ... ... ... ... ... 10

TOTAL ... ... ... ... 706 ... ... ... .. .. 805

* Arson not included in totals, which are based only on the seven crime index categories.