Pittsburgh Crime Down for 3rd Straight Year

A drop in both violent crime and property crime in Pittsburgh mirrors a nationwide trend, according to FBI statistics released Monday.

The FBI report says violent crime in the city fell 8% from 2008 to 2009, while falling about 5% nationwide. There were 271 fewer cases of violent crime in Pittsburgh, including a steep decline in murder rates. 39 people were murdered in the city last year, as opposed to 72 in 2008.

The FBI says Pittsburgh property crime decreased by about 6.7%, a slightly higher rate of decline than the national average of about 5%. 12,625 property crimes were reported in 2008, while 11,775 were booked in 2009.

Crime fell in every category listed by the FBI.