How loud is a security siren really?

I’m looking into getting a panic button. How loud is too loud for a siren? Would 120dB be enough?

Here’s the situation: Every couple of weeks, someone comes down our street around 9:30 AM and steals catalytic converters from cars parked outside our house. We’re retired, so we often hear or see them when they pull up.

We have off-street parking behind a gate, but the neighbors don’t have that luxury. We’ve set off our car alarm before, but it hasn’t done anything. We don’t want to directly confront them. We’re looking for something that’s so loud it will either scare them off or alert the neighbors and the school that something’s happening.

How loud does it need to be, based on dB measurements? Any recommendations for a device we can activate easily?

I use an Amesco SSX-82. I have the slightly less loud SSX-52 mounted on the front of my house as my alarm siren.

https://www.pottersignal.com/commercial-security/intrusion-sirens/siren-strobe

@Mal
Thanks!

Denny said:
@Mal
Thanks!

You’re welcome!

I use the YoLink siren, it’s 130dB.

I once installed eight high-output sirens inside a house and four outside. The owner called it the ‘pain generator’. Burglars didn’t seem to care about the alarm, so we made it so loud that it would give instant migraines.

The first time it went off, the cops actually gave him a ticket for noise pollution. It was that loud.

This comment is empty, admin should fix.

You’re doing more than most would in this situation. Maybe try to get pictures or videos from a safe distance, along with license plate numbers for the police.

I’ve seen paintball guns used for this purpose and they work really well! If you want to go even further, you could freeze the paintballs or use pepperballs.

Fin said:
I’ve seen paintball guns used for this purpose and they work really well! If you want to go even further, you could freeze the paintballs or use pepperballs.

In our neighborhood, the people doing this have real guns.

@Denny
Same here.

@Denny
Stay safe and try not to escalate things.