Hello there and happy Sunday! Here’s a tip if you’re booking travel this year. Based on average round-trip ticket prices, you can save up to 15% when you book your flight on a Sunday. The cheapest day of the week to travel is Wednesday. Now you know!

⚡ Every place Barry and I live, we insist on power generators. It’s saved us so many times and even helped me get the national radio show out during a power outage. Support today’s sponsor, 4Patriots, and check out their solar-powered generator. Now, let’s do this! — Kim

Feb. 16 was a typical Friday night. Barry and I decided to stay home, grill chicken and make a salad for dinner. At about 6:45 p.m., we heard some loud rumbling overhead.

We walked onto the back patio, and two police helicopters were shining lights all over our property. A recording echoed, “Police. You are under arrest. Stay right there and I won’t shoot you.”

As I looked across the fence, a swarm of armed Phoenix SWAT team members with a few dogs were circling our property. One of the guys said, “Yeah, there’s a jammer right here.” He picked it up. I leaned over the patio and asked, “What’s going on?”

The police told me to go inside

When I asked again, a SWAT member said, “Ma’am, it’s a South American gang targeting homes to steal from. The jammer says you might have been next. Do we have permission to enter your property?” I said, “Yes!” and then he asked something like, “If we find anyone, will you pursue charges so we can arrest them?” I replied, “Of course!”

I opened the driveway gates to our property and the guest house while Barry tossed the police keys to open the security gates. People asked me if I was scared. How could I be? There was a team of really professional police officers protecting me from who knows what.

Turns out, when the gang saw we were home, they likely diverted their attention to the house next door. A house four doors down from us wasn’t so lucky.

The homeowner left at 5 p.m. to have dinner and got a notification his security cameras were offline at 5:05 p.m. He thought the internet went down. Nope, the gang broke in and took $25,000 in cash and valuables worth $100,000. They were in and out in under 10 minutes.

How are they getting away with this?

The gang places cellular and Wi‑Fi jammers around the homes they’re targeting. This way, security cameras and phones are useless. A Phoenix police officer told me the gang probably noticed nothing was down in our house.

We have our cameras and internet hardwired. Even when they tried to jam our signals, the red lights on the security cameras still showed they were recording everything.

But how frightening is that? Your phone doesn’t work. Your cameras aren’t recording anything. On the upside, the gang doesn’t carry guns. This way, if they get caught, they’ll spend about six months in jail before being extradited to Chile.

Nothing is random

The gang scopes out homes beforehand. They drive the neighborhood and look up houses on real estate sites to get an idea of where the primary bedroom is located. They look for dogs, too.

It’s not just in Phoenix, by the way. This is happening all over the country. A friend was robbed by this gang, and he lives in a guarded, gated community in California. Kudos to the Phoenix Police Department — they arrested three members of the gang who were in my neighborhood that night.

So, what can you do?

• Wireless cameras go kaput with no signal. Try a wired camera for a backup.
• A cam with SD card storage will still record if there’s no Wi‑Fi.
• Put up motion-activated lights; they make it harder for anyone to sneak around.
• A femtocell (think of it as a mini cell tower) could be enough to keep your connection if thieves use jammers — T‑Mobile or Verizon.
• Have an Amazon Echo? Away mode lets you control your lights so it looks like someone’s home.
• Make it look like someone’s watching TV at your house when you’re not there with this innovative gadget.
• A University of North Carolina survey of over 400 incarcerated burglars found security system signs deter thieves. Here are two for $7.99.
• Check Zillow, Realtor⁠.⁠com and Redfin for photos of your house. The more crooks know about the layout, the better for them. I did the research for you. Here’s how to remove those pics.
• Blur your house from Google Maps and Apple Maps while you’re at it.

👁️‍🗨️ Want to see the footage? If you’d like to watch any action captured by my security cameras, I showed them during a Kim Komando Today video stream. Phew, that was a rollercoaster, right? I am so thankful to our police force.

😂 And because I can’t help myself … A burglar stole all my lamps. I should be upset, but I’m de‑lighted. I know you’re gonna tell that one.

No kidding, I used to be a Boy Scout leader. (It’s a long story.) No wonder I’m always prepared! I have a backup generator at home, so I’m never worried when the power goes out for everyone else in the neighborhood.

You can use a backup generator to power your:

• Fridge: Keep your food safe
• Microwave: Warm up a meal
• CPAP: Sleep better at night
• Medical devices: Survive the storm
• Phones: Call family and friends
• Computers and tablets: Get work done
• Lights: Remain calm in a crisis
• TV: Stay connected and alert
• Heat and AC: Stay warm or cool
• Security lights: Scare off looters
• RV and tailgating: Griddles, speakers and more

The American-made Patriot Power Generator 2000X is so popular that the first launch sold out immediately. Don’t miss this opportunity.

📧 Panic at the inbox: The internet lost its mind over a post claiming "Google is sunsetting Gmail" by Aug. 1, 2024. The hoax was quickly debunked. Google confirmed your inbox is safe — for now.

“Jetsons” era, here we come? Wisk is promising air taxis by 2030 at UberX prices. Picture flying over traffic jams in a pilotless eVTOL. Sounds cool, right? Now, the hard part: Convincing the Federal Aviation Authority these autonomous vehicles are safe — and figuring out where to fly and land them.

Bling that thinks: Bluetooth earrings are possible, courtesy of the University of Washington. Ready to outshine smartwatches (see what I did there?) in accuracy, these gems measure earlobe temperatures with dual sensors (body and ambient temps) for better precision. They also have a 28-day battery life. Apple, it might be time to step up your game.

🤫 Avoidance level 100: Gen Z is keeping their phones on Do Not Disturb mode 24/7. Seems like it's to dodge the anxiety of a random buzz and — wait for it — those “disrespectful AF” interruptions. Oh, and breakups via text? Totally a thing now, 'cause who wants an awkward call?

Say cheese, then erase: Microsoft's Windows Photos is getting a facelift with a magic wand for your IG selfies. In a few swipes on your phone or desktop, it’s like photobombers and piles of laundry were never there. Right now, this is only available for Windows Insiders.

📺 Stick with 4K: Don't spend extra on an 8K model if you need a new TV. Why? There just isn't enough 8K content available. Here’s a nice 75-inch 4K option from Sony.

I got this question a lot after yesterday’s top story: “How do I know Incogni works?” Friend, don’t just take my word for it. They’ll give you your money back if you’re not happy within 30 days. If you were on the fence, this is your sign to try Incogni now for 60% off.

Hide your location: Facebook uses location data to serve news and sell you things. If you turn off location services, it won’t use your precise location to target you with ads. Unfortunately, it still has access to your network location, so you’ll need to turn off the feature on your phone and the app. Here are the steps for iPhone and Android.

⏲️ Productivity boost: When you need to focus, a phone timer is not the way to go. Too tempting. Try E.ggtimer.com. It’s not fancy, and you won’t find a ton of bells and whistles. That’s why I like it! Fewer distractions.

Quickly switch between Gmail accounts: Click your profile icon at the top right (on both mobile and desktop), select Add account > Sign in. Now just click the right profile icon to access to account you want.

💬 I talk to the best folks on my national radio show. Catch it on a station near you, get the commercial-free version on Apple and Spotify, or join the Komando Community with a 30-day free trial on me!

• Madeline in Los Angeles has a unique job on TikTok: She tests if men will cheat by sending them flirty DMs. Spoiler: Most guys fall for the bait.
• Ward in New York City is an Airbnb super host. During a family emergency, he left his hosting duties to his friend, Mick. It … didn’t end well.
• Laurie in Provincetown, Massachusetts, is a musician facing challenges with her eyesight due to Fuchs’ dystrophy. She’s looking for help reading music.

Plus, Timmy needs a reminder to shut his garage door, Larry's stuck on router updates, Linda questions earbud radiation, Tim battles USPS scams and much more! Need a hand? Drop your questions here.

Look: Put together, even if you’re a spiller. Love a Tide Pen.

Save: Stop Googling coupon codes. The Capital One Shopping browser extension* finds them for you. They have a free iPhone app,* too. I also like Honey.

Clean: Your house better and faster with these smart tricks. (Car wax to avoid toilet rings? Whoa.)

Eat: Dessert and sneak in something healthier for the fam. Yum, sweet potato brownies.

Sleep: Better with two separate blankets if you share a bed. That’s what the Scandinavians say, at least. Wonder if Barry would go for this.

No joke, his headstone says, “That’s all folks!”

One more travel tip for the road skies: The Chrome browser extension Legrooms for Google Flights is worth downloading if you’re tall and need space. It'll show how much legroom you have per seat for the flight you select.

✈️ I was going to end with an aviation joke, but it’ll go right over your head. (I know, I know.)

Be sure to forward this email to a few folks. Together, we can make this world a better, safer tech place. See you tomorrow morning with another issue of the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim