Despite the economic downturn in the U.S., reported violent crimes dropped in 2008 for the second consecutive year, the FBI said September 14. The annual Crime in the United States compilation found that violent crime reports were down 1.9 percent. Murders dropped 3.9 percent. Reported property crimes declined for the sixth straight year, led by a 12.7 percent reduction in motor vehicle thefts. Burglaries were up, however, by 2 percent, and larceny-thefts rose by .3 percent. Losses from property crimes last year were valued at more than $17 billion. The statistics were gathered by about 17,800 law enforcement agencies that participate voluntarily in the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program.