Outgoing Chief William Bratton says economy not a factor.

Crime in Los Angeles dropped more than 7 percent from a year ago, negating fears that the recession and record-high unemployment would fuel a spike in burglaries and other offenses, officials said Tuesday.

Based on statistics compiled Sept.5, overall crime fell 7.4 percent from a year earlier. The steepest drop was in auto theft, which plummeted 17.6 percent, followed by a decline in homicides of nearly 15percent.

"We're not seeing an economic impact (on crime)," Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton said during a news conference. "We are not facing any increase in property or personal crimes."

Bratton noted, however, that the economy has had an emotional impact on the city's residents and may have been a factor in the Sept. 2 slaying of two North Hollywood girls, ages 17 and 11, who officials say were fatally stabbed by their 38-year-old unemployed mother.

"In recent years, we have had three to four homicides that we have directly linked to the economy," Bratton said.

The news conference was held outside the new $437 million police headquarters at 100 W. First St. The 10-story replacement for the outdated Parker Center building is scheduled to officially open on Oct.24, a week before Bratton's resignation takes effect.

The chief is leaving the public sector to become CEO of a private security firm, based in New York. A successor has not yet been named.

Although Bratton did not specifically address crime in the San Fernando Valley, a separate report found that violent crime plunged 11percent and property crimes fell 7percent over the past year. Homicides, however, were virtually unchanged. Deputy Chief Michel Moore, who heads the LAPD's Valley Bureau, called the decreases "huge in the face of these challenging economic times."

And he credited solid police work as well as cooperation from residents committed to keeping their communities safe.

"We're going to stay committed to the practices and strategies that have achieved these types of results," Moore said. "And we'll look to other opportunities to ensure that we don't lose ground here as to the safety of the people in the San Fernando Valley."