AMAZON’S Alexa devices are dotted around millions of homes worldwide.

But many folks could be keeping their Amazon Echo and Dot gadgets in risky positions.

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All Alexa gadgets should be kept out of private spaces, like the bedroom and bathroom, experts have cautioned[/caption]

Steer clear of windows

Experts say you should keep your Amazon Echo speakers away from all the windows in your house.

It can give crooks easy access to the speaker and all its connected devices.

For example, if your car is connected to your smart speaker, someone may be able to unlock and start it, CNET reported.

An attacker may also be able to transfer money from your bank account to theirs via the Alexa PayPal skill – if they manage to guess your four-digit pin correctly, according to The Times.

Under your TV

Storing your Alexa under the TV is also a no-go, if you want to limit how often the gadget tunes into your conversations.

If the device hears “Alexa” – or even just similar sounding names and commands – it can be activated unnecessarily.

Not only could this interrupt the film you’re watching, but it also starts recording what’s said directly after the command.

So, if you’re having a private conversation in that moment, your privacy might be at risk.

Therefore, putting it on a side table or bookshelf makes more sense.

Near a space heater

As with any tech gadget, your Alexa shouldn’t be exposed to heat sources, according to Amazon.

That includes space heaters, heater vents, radiators, open fires or stoves.

At best, heat will slow the gadget down. And at worst, could potentially cause a fire or damage to your Echo.

In the bedroom

All Alexa gadgets should be kept out of private spaces, like the bedroom and bathroom, experts have cautioned.

Amazon says that Alexa will only record speech after the wake word, “Alexa,” is said.

Unless the device is triggered accidentally.

Amazon says a small number of conversations are reviewed by staff, for the purposes of improving the device’s understanding of human speech.

But you still might not want your bedroom talk to be included in these reviews.

Instead, it’s best to leave your Alexa in spaces where you’d be more likely to host guests, such as the living room or kitchen.

Dr Hannah Fry, a mathematician and expert on tech company algorithms at University College London, said: “I think there are some spaces in your home, like the bedroom and bathroom, which should remain completely private.

“This technology is activated by a trigger word but it keeps recording for a short period afterwards.

“People accept that, but we should all spend more time thinking about what it means for us.”

A WOMAN was reportedly shot at a village pub on Valentine’s Day in front of horrified customers with her attacker still on the loose.

Police were called to a “disturbance” at the Three Horseshoes pub on Main Road in Knockholt, Kent, just after 7pm.

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A woman was reportedly shot at a village pub on Valentine’s Day[/caption]

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Copes were called to a ‘disturbance’ at the Three Horseshoes pub in Kent[/caption]

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A morning view of the pub after Kent Police launched an urgent manhunt[/caption]

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Forensics teams were seen in the Knockholt area last night[/caption]

Officers and South East Coast Ambulance Service paramedics rushed to the scene where they found a woman in her 40s who had “suffered serious injuries”.

The suspect, a man believed to be known to the victim, fled the area before officers arrived and remains at large.

Witnesses described being told that shots had been fired but this has not yet been confirmed by the force.

A man whose daughter was in the pub at the time told KentOnline there had been a shooting.

Steve Maines, a parish councillor in Knockholt, said he had been told that shots had been fired.

He told the BBC: “We were sitting having our Valentine’s Day meal when all of a sudden we heard this huge commotion outside in the car park.

“We were told someone had been shot so we had to leave.”

Kent Police have launched an urgent manhunt with officers actively searching for the suspect and investigating the full circumstances of the attack.

The Three Horseshoes is located around five miles north-east of Sevenoaks.

A statement on the pub’s Facebook page read: “The Three Horseshoes will be CLOSED today Saturday 15th February following a tragic incident outside the pub last night, sorry for any inconvenience.

“Hopefully we will be open on Sunday as usual x thank you.”

A police spokesperson said: “Kent Police was called at 7.02pm on Friday 14 February 2025 to a report of a disturbance at the Three Horseshoes pub in Main Road, Knockholt.

“Officers attended the scene along with South East Coast Ambulance Service where a woman in her 40s had suffered serious injuries.

“The suspect, a man who is believed to be known to the victim, left the area and is currently outstanding.

“Enquiries to locate him and to establish the full circumstances are ongoing.”

The Sun has approached Kent Police for further information.

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The suspect, a man believed to be known to the victim, fled the area before officers arrived[/caption]

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Emergency services arrived just after 7pm on Friday[/caption]

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Paramedics rushed to the scene where they found a woman in her 40s[/caption]

Elite mentality!

The pub has been cordoned off following the serious incident.

'Great day for love, bad day to be a plumber.'

This is the moment a huge lion was spotted on the loose in a sleepy Mexican town.

A passer-by captured the feline on camera soon after it escaped from its enclosure in San Pedro Cholula, west of Mexico City, on Wednesday.

The lion was seen pausing on the street as panicked locals tried to bring the big cat under control.

Later security camera footage also showed the lion stalking the streets before being escorted away by a mystery brave local.

The mayor’s office tried to reassure locals in a statement following the escape.

‘The animal was quickly captured and the relevant investigations have been initiated to determine the origin of the incident and prevent future incidents,’ the mayor’s office said. 

‘Likewise, the necessary checks will be carried out to reinforce security measures in the area.’ 

The animal was first reported to the cops and animal handlers on 7am on Wednesday.

The lion was eventually tracked down and taken home to the Recica Animal Foundation where it had escaped from.

Separate surveillance camera images reveal the path the lion took through the town.

They showed the predatory feline prancing through a different area of the city.

Another still images shows a brave man escorting the lion past an open metal gate

‘A lion escaped from a sanctuary in Ocoyoacac, Edomex, and was seen wandering the streets of San Pedro Cholula,’ journalist Oscar Mario Beteta said.

‘Residents alerted authorities, but the feline returned to the sanctuary on its own without incident.’

The ordeal was a scary reminder of when a 440-pound male bengal tiger was seen lurking the streets of Tecuala, in the Mexican state of Nayarit, in June 2022.

The ownership of wild animals is legal in Mexico with a permit provided by the Federal Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection.

In November 2023, residents of the seaside town of Ladispoli captured similar footage of a lion on the loose.

The feline had escaped from a local circus, with locals told to stay at home before the animal was recaptured.

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