I'm in the "automated water cannon" club although my cannon is an impulse sprinkler with a motion detector attached. They're very effective as long as you have no watering restrictions. You must aim them so that the motion of leaves and tree branches won't activate the motion detector. But they do work at night as well as in daytime. Send a sudden, strong spray of water "Tsch, Tsch, Tsch" for 3 seconds and really startles everyone who sets it off - yes, I've sprayed myself several times
Available off Amazon and other places:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001A9TDS/
This is the one I have but it was only $60 when I got it 15 years ago. There are others that are much more reasonably priced.