Crime in the city of Los Angeles has declined about 3 percent and gang-related crime has dropped 11 percent compared to this time last year, police Chief William Bratton said today.

As of Dec. 6, homicides were down 8.7 percent, rapes down 14 percent, robbery dropped by 1.8 percent, and aggravated assaults lower by 7.1 percent.

Overall violent crime is down 4.8 percent. Property crimes have dropped 2.4 percent.

Burglaries are down 1.9 percent, grand theft auto dropped 4.4 percent, burglary from vehicles is down 2.1 percent and personal theft is lower by 1.4 percent.

The number of murders involving gang members has dropped 26.6 percent, Bratton told the Los Angeles Police Commission, the civilian panel that oversees the Los Angeles Police Department.