Larceny-theft
Of the three property crime offenses (burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft) for which information was collected, larceny-theft, with an estimated 7.7 million total offenses, comprised 67 percent of the property crime total for the year.

Larceny-theft victims lost an estimated $4.5 billion 1997. Property loss averaged $585 per offense.

Thirty-six percent of the reported larcenies involved the theft of motor-vehicle parts, accessories, and contents.

Motor-Vehicle Theft
In 1997, an estimated 1.4 million motor vehicles were reported stolen, representing a three-percent drop in motor-vehicle thefts for the nation and the lowest number since 1987.

The estimated average value of stolen motor vehicles at the time of theft was $5,416 per vehicle. The estimated total value of vehicles stolen nationwide was more than $7 billion.

Arson
In 1997, a total of 81,753 arson offenses were reported, a seven-percent decline from the 1996 total.