Chrysler says December U.S. sales fall 53 percent

DETROIT (Reuters) - Chrysler says U.S. sales fall 53 percent in December from year earlier.

* Chrysler says US sales fell 30 percent in 2008 from prior year

* Chrysler says offering additional discounts of up to $1,000 when customers

finance through local credit unions in 2009

* Chrysler says finished December with inventory of 397,569 vehicles, down 9

percent from a year earlier

* Chrysler says end December inventory equaled 115-day supply of sales

(Reporting by David Bailey)