June 2 (Bloomberg) -- New York City remained the safest of the largest U.S. cities in 2008, and crime has dropped another 12 percent during the first five months of this year, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

He cited Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics in asserting that New York recorded the lowest crime rate among the nation’s 25 largest cities, and that it ranked 246th among 261 cities with populations exceeding 100,000. That places it between Torrance, California, and McKinney, Texas.

Crime fell 12 percent citywide in the first five months of this year compared with the same period last year. Murders decreased 21 percent while robberies and rape both dropped 17 percent, the mayor said, citing Police Department statistics.

“There have been 43 fewer murders, 1,415 fewer robberies and 491 fewer cars stolen than this same time just a year ago,” said Bloomberg, 67, a candidate for re-election to a third term this year. He attributed the decreases to “innovative policing strategies and a focus on keeping guns out of the hands of criminals.”

Last year, the city reported 523 murders, the second-lowest since 1961, when the city began such tabulations. Overall, crime has fallen 37 percent since 2002, when Bloomberg took office, police department data show.

The mayor is founder and majority owner of Bloomberg News parent Bloomberg LP.

To contact the reporter on this story: Henry Goldman in New York at hgoldman@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: June 2, 2009 17:58 EDT