Burglar alarm

A burglar alarm is an object that can be bought in buy mode to automatically alert the police that a burglar is on the property.

Tips
In all games, it is impossible to enter Build Mode or Buy Mode after a burglar enters the lot. It is important that players properly secure the lot before a burglar arrives.

The Sims
"SimSafety IV unit includes auto-police summoning, motion detector, exit/entry delay features, changeable user ID code, 2-Pulse Bipolar Processing, Split-Zone Optics technology, and digital dialer. (Unit has a single room zone--multiple devices may be used for separate rooms)."

In The Sims, a burglar alarm will cover an entire room when placed indoors. If placed on an outside wall, it will cover a 5-tile radius.

An easy way to make a house burglar-proof is to build a single wall on both sides of the lot and put a burglar alarm on each; when a burglar enters the lot, the alarms will be set off instantly, resulting in the police being summoned immediately; often before the burglar can even enter the house.

The Sims 2
"Fear of home invasion keeping you up at night? Sleep easier thanks to the latest SimSafety V Burglar Alarm from Insomniac Security Systems. If an intruder is detected indoors, this device summons the police to apprehend the criminal in the act. (Unit has a single-room zone.)"

In The Sims 2, burglar alarms cannot be placed outside (except by using the moveobjects cheat or by tricking the game), so each room with a door to the outside should have an alarm.

The Sims 3
"Who better to catch a thief? Our 'Ex' criminal employees have been working late-night jobs to give customers a fool proof device to stop crooks in the act. Once installed, Thief-Tech will know exactly when residents are home or awake to provide maximum protection!"

In The Sims 3, burglar alarms can be placed on any wall of a residential lot, inside or outside. The alarm will sound if a burglar enters through the front door or close proximity to the alarm when placed outside. It also costs more than the previous generations.

If a burglar alarm is put on the outside of a house, it will go off as soon as the burglar is on the lot.