# raccoons setting off car alarms?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raccoons-setting-off-car-alarms/630185
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 2, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raccoons-setting-off-car-alarms/630185 "2012-08-02T16:35:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raccoons-setting-off-car-alarms/630185/1 "2012-08-02T16:35:36Z")
Not so much car alarms as the little beep or double beep that accompanies the keyless entry locking and unlocking signals. Last night, I heard a car in the parking area behind our house beep like that a few times at random times. Later, the upstairs neighbor called to say he was hearing unusual noises as if someone were wandering around out on the porches. It’s usually raccoons that we hear - banging around the dumpster and getting into things. But can they, in their curiosity and wandering around under cars, activate those parts of the car that would sound like the keyless unlock/lock beeps? I’d like to sleep better knowing that.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raccoons-setting-off-car-alarms/630185/2 "2012-08-02T16:44:23Z")
I’m not aware of raccoons ever doing that, but I’m rather certain they could pick locks if they so desired.
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### Author:  [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2012, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raccoons-setting-off-car-alarms/630185/3 "2012-08-02T19:17:44Z")
I know that some car alarms will emit warning beeps if they think someone is invading their personal space.
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### Author:  [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raccoons-setting-off-car-alarms/630185/4 "2012-08-02T22:22:24Z")
One possibility is that some cars sense when you touch the handle and try to detect the key fob then unlock the door if the fob is within range. I think some cars will chirp if the fob isn’t detected. If a raccoon stood up to climb on the car or look inside and touched the handle, that may cause it to chirp. But although possible, that doesn’t seem highly likely.
The owner of the chirping car could have let their baby play with the keys or something too.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [August 2, 2012, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/raccoons-setting-off-car-alarms/630185/5 "2012-08-02T22:30:00Z")
> [@Fubaya](#):
>
> If a raccoon stood up to climb on the car or look inside and touched the handle, that may cause it to chirp. But although possible, that doesn’t seem highly likely.
While they were picking the lock. :dubious: