Do Car Alarms deter thieves?

I doubt it.

I don't believe so

I wonder that, too. I know that House alarms don't do that much (at least according to that TV report). I'd guess the same for car alarm.

No - there is one going off right now outside my house and I haven't even looked out of the window.

I'm not sure. They go off so often that they've been reduced to an annoyance rather than a deterrent, so I don't know if thieves are really bothered by car alarms anymore.

Our car sucks, the alarm goes off randomly, but it doesn't go off when people try to break into it, which has happened before.

So generally when our car alarm is going, we know it's not being broken into. Defeats the purpose really

I don't know, but I do know I run like hell.
Are you with me on that E?!

They are a classic example of "security" than does nothing more than annoy innocent people.

Sure they do.

Oh I sure follow you sis...

Hubby got his window smashed- the alarm went off- he kept his stereo and various belongings. I didn't believe in them before- I do now.

No most people ignore them. I ignore them.

I think they do. I have alarms on all my vehicles.

I'm not a thief, so I don't know.

I don't really know, but I assume they do at least some of the time. Thieves probably don't want any attention drawn to them, and even though most people ignore car alarms, they're loud, and passers-by are a little more likely to look around if they hear one. I would think some thieves at least would be spooked by that.

I put I agree, but for the most part, No........ (why do they all sound the same?) But Certain types/brands like Scorpion amongst others have features that REALLYcan protect the vehicle, such as a passive alarm, that comes with a pager, that will page the owner, Battery back-up ,GPS tracking.

It really isn't THAT easy to steal cars anymore without damaging them badly (but for the pros, who steal to order) with all the electronics involved now.... thats why car-jacking is so much more popular nowadays.

I believe car alarms might encourage thieves to ransack the contents of your vehicle at a somewhat faster pace, just due to the annoyance of having to hear the alarm up close.

I hear car alarms going off several times a day on average. I don't think that I've even bothered turning my head to look since...maybe some time in the 1980s?

That's the idea...

Most people might ignore the car alarm sticker, but thieves pay close attention to such things. So say the Police and I tend to believe them on this.

I think it depends on where the car is parked as to how much it would intimidate them

No. I think they used to, but now it's so common to hear them go off that no one pays them much attention. When I hear one, I never think someone is trying to break into a car. My first thought is, "I wish that idiot would learn how to use their alarm."

I dont know, I dont steal cars,

yes, I think so. At least 50% of would be thieves. If they didn't, people would have them.

Dunno.