Police have recommended for a long time to keep a radio or
TV on while you are away from home to deter a burglar. Burglars don’t want to
be caught, and if they think there is someone in the house most will go
somewhere else.
With the advent of smart speakers like Amazon’s Echo series,
there may be a new tool that can make it seem like someone is home when you are
away. Echo developers have created a new Alexa “skill” called Away Mode. A
skill is computer code that allows an Echo to do a specific task.
Away Mode plays one of seven audio tracks that play for
about an hour. If a potential burglar hears the track, he will think there is
someone in the house. This may not be a solution for long trips, but it is good
for running a short errand. Remember, burglars can strike when you step out for
a minute just like they can strike when you are vacation.
The audio tracks were written by comedy writers, so the audio
is quirky. Quirky or not, the idea remains to give a burglar the idea that someone
is around, and this is not a place he wants to enter.
For more about Away Mode, look at this article,
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