IR in camera will turned on only when the light is really low or it runs on a schedule, I rarely turn on the IR since the street is well lit.
I don't think theives have time for sling shot and paint ball guns, unless its a pre planed event like stealing a high end store.
In india due to piss poor installation they can just cut the dangling wire from the camera and disable it.
Professional level install in western countries use ip67 steel conduit, which makes it hard to cut.
Newer cameras like Dahua TIOC series have active deterrence like on board high dB alarm and led lights to deter them from coming close to the camera.
In my house I do not have a alarm, even though the camera as a port for alarm out, I couldn't find good ip67 rated connectors, speakers. They do sell them but no one is bothered to sell one or two pieces. Only 100 pieces or more.
So the way I do is I had a PTZ camera like those in traffic signals, the movement of the PTZ panning around deters intimidates people, many think that some one is controling the camera live, like those in traffic signals.
Another thing is in a tropical country like ours, water protection of connectors, enclosure is critical. I have infact have removed or shutdown all the outdoor cameras directly in rain, due to poor IP67 connectors and mounts sold in India. If one does find those connectors then either they are too expensive or are not UV rated(mine). Many cameras you see in bangalore traffic signals or streets are non functional, those expensive PTZ cameras all appear to be kaput and have not moved a inch. All due to poor installation.
Not one dealer sells official accessories in India, with aliexpress not shipping, I have to wait for someone to bring the accessories from other countries.
In western countries where houses buildings are made of wood, they just hide all the wires by making a hole in wall and wire/cable run are all inside the wooden wall and the dry wall. Since in our countries we have brick walls, we have to use a conduit pipe. Even if one builds a house with this in mind for laying cat6 cables strategically through the house with internal conduit plastic pipes, the moment they terminate out of the wall, one steel needs a ip67 rated flexible /rigid conduit pipe and mounts which are just not available in India or pay 5x the price for imported ones.