AS the Christmas Shopping season gets into full swing the AA has issued a warning to motorists to be on their guard against car crime.

'The statistics tell us that every year there are over 13,000 cases of theft from unattended vehicles,' said Director of Policy Conor Faughnan. 'Shoppers are more likely to leave valuable contents in the car at this time of year, and thieves know it,' said Faughnan.

'There's no way to remove the risk entirely but there are some precautions you can take to make sure you don't let a thief ruin your Christmas.' 'If you must leave valuables unattended, lock them in the boot of your car before you reach your destination. Don't leave packages on the back seat, and under no circumstances should you cover packages with a coat or blanket. This just tempts experienced thief.' Obviously you should check that the car is locked when you park it, but you should also have doors locked when you are in traffic. A thief can steal a bag, a the phone or a wallet in a split second if the doors are open. Use supervised car parks if you can; if you are parking on-street remember that although you may be parking in daylight it will be dark well before 5.00 pm. Park in a well lit area if possible.

THE head of Ireland's topselling car brand is predicting a stagnant market for car sales in 2010, following the freefall in registrations in 2009. Eddie Murphy, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford Ireland, said he saw sales reaching just 60,000 units for the coming 12 months. 'Our industry is based on a car park of 2 million, and an annual replacement rate in excess of 150,000 units,' he said. ' Various factors are conspiring to keep the market at well under half that figure. The replacement rate will rise, but for cash-strapped dealers it's a question of how long they can hold out.' While emphasising that there are 'no winners' in today's market, Murphy pointed out that Ford's share of the car market has grown this year, from 12.6% to 14.1%.

This he attributed to a 'strength in depth' in the Ford line-up, which has brought it leadership in 5 of the 8 segments in which it is present; for Ka, Fiesta, Focus, C-MAX and Galaxy. Ford has a strong package of offers for the 2010 market across key models, among them the the highly spec-ed Focus TDCi, with air conditioning, alloys, fogs and Bluetooth voice control from € 21,750, an effective saving of over € 2,000. The acclaimed Kuga Zetec crossover now starts at just € 27,495 and gains 17inch alloys. The Mondeo range also receives enhanced specification, with the Style 1.8 TDCi including alloys, fogs and Bluetooth for just € 26,995.

The Mondeo Zetec 2.0 TDCi 140PS, despite its improved appointment, is down by over € 2,000 at € 29,995. MITSUBISHI Motors has reacted to the difficult market conditions in the motor sector by announcing price reductions to the Outlander, Lancer and Colt range. The biggest reductions are for the Outlander range, where the 7-seater Intense passenger model will now retail at € 25,950, down from € 39,950.

For the Outlander commercial, the price moves from € 24,950 to € 19,950 including VAT. MOTORISTS who use caffeinated energy drinks to help them stay awake and alert on the road are risking lives because they can cause effects similar to alcohol, a study by the US National Safety Commission has claimed. It found that an hour after drinking a highly caffeinated and sugared drink, motorists suffered delayed reaction times. THE Road Safety Authority's chief executive Noel Brett has accused the insurance industry of offering policies to dangerously modified vehicles without first inspecting the vehicles, as well as not being strict enough on banned motorists.