A pre-warn vehicle security device is for a vehicle including a data communications bus, an alert indicator, and an alarm controller. The alarm controller may interface with the data communications bus and, when in an armed mode, may cause the alert indicator to generate an alarm indication responsive to a high security threat level. More particularly, the pre-warn vehicle security device may include a pre-warn vehicle security sensor for sensing a threat level lower than the high security threat level and a pre-warn emulator. Responsive to the pre-warn vehicle security sensor, the pre-warn emulator may generate at least one signal on the data communications bus so that the alarm controller causes the alert indicator to generate an emulated pre-warn indication different from the alarm indication.