In my "neck of the woods" which happens to be a suburban Wichita Kansas town (population 21,000,) alarm systems are very effective. Actually I am of the opinion that the biggest deterrent with an alarm system is the sign in my front yard and the stickers on the ground-level windows and doors. Yes it is advertising for the alarm company but why would a burglar try to break into my house when a lot of my neighbors don't have an alarm system installed?

Jay, I hope that you recover from this incident and they catch the perps very soon.

Cheers!
Bill