Arizona has a reason to celebrate being No. 2. The state no longer leads the nation in motor vehicle theft, shedding the title it’s had since 2000. Nevada now holds the dishonor, according to an FBI report on crime released Monday.
"Crime in the United States 2004" contains a mixed bag of news for Arizona.
For the fifth straight year, the state still leads in overall crime and property crime. Partially to blame are vehicle thieves, who steal more than twice as many as their counterparts elsewhere.
Yet the rate of property crimes dropped by more than 5 percent, a pace almost 1 1 /2 times better than the national average.
Also, Arizona remains a relatively safe place to live. It ranks 13th in the nation in violent crimes, exceeding the national average by 8 percent.
