North Carolina Crime Dropped in 2008

North Carolina officials have released statistics that show a drop in crime in the state.

Attorney General Roy Cooper said in Raleigh that property crime in the state fell by more than 2 percent in 2008. Violent crime dropped by more than 1 percent.

Cooper says murders were down by 3.5 percent, rapes by 6 percent and aggravated assaults by nearly 3 percent. Robbery rose 2 percent.

Cooper credits technological advances for the decline. He says a growing list of more than 175,000 DNA profiles on file has helped state officials make more than 220 matches in the past year.

The crime statistics were compiled by the State Bureau of Investigation. They are based on data from local law enforcement.