A new Alexa skill called Burglar Deterrent has just been released that might interest you if you’re worried about home security while you’re away. Once activated, the skill makes it seem like someone is home by playing a clever assortment of realistic audio that mimics common activities. Launch the skill by saying “Alexa, open Burglar Deterrent” and select the environment that best suits your smart speaker’s location. You can choose from a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and home office. Each option plays varied audio tailored for the location, like vacuuming for the living room, clanging pots for the kitchen, running water for the bathroom, and a printer for the office. Those examples are just one of many sounds heard in each location. You can also select a barking dog as a general deterrent. Start the skill before you leave and it will play sounds until you say “Alexa, stop” when you return or you can say “Alexa, set a sleep timer for [time]” after the deterrent audio starts for it to turn off after a set period. The audio played is quite convincing and should be enough to make a would-be burglar pick a different target.

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