Think your “secret” hiding spot is safe? 🧐 According to police, most burglars know exactly where to look — and it’s not where you think. Safes, sugar jars, even coat pockets? Already on their checklist. This info is meant to help you avoid common mistakes. Curious what spots actually work? Full list in this article 👇
A lot of people try to protect their valuables by hiding them in “secret” places at home, thinking thieves won’t find them. But more often than not, it’s not the robbers who fail — it’s us who forget where we put our stash. We share some insights from police officers on common hiding mistakes.
Burglars usually know exactly where to look. They’ve seen it all before and understand how most people think. What we see as clever hiding spots are often the first places thieves check.
For example:
Safes are the obvious first stop. If it’s there, they’ll try to open it.
Kitchen containers with flour, sugar, or rice are dumped out and checked.
Framed photos and wall art get turned over and examined.
Flowerpots? They’ll dig through the soil to see what’s buried.
Mattresses and pillows are cut open without hesitation.
Coats, jackets, and other clothes in closets are searched — especially pockets and linings.
Desks and dressers? Checked thoroughly, including underneath and inside taped drawers.
Bookshelves, boxes, light fixtures, even the tops of closets all get a look.
Toilet tanks and air vents behind covers are no exception.
Even your computer’s system unit isn’t safe — if they don’t look inside, they might just steal the whole thing.
As for hiding money under floorboards — that trick is well known, and the floors often get ripped up.
So what actually works?
The best hiding places are ones that seem too strange, too messy, or just plain unappealing to dig into. For example:
Roll up money and hide it inside a mayo or ketchup bottle.
Wrap it in meat and leave it in the freezer.
Tuck it into a pack of sanitary pads or a laundry basket.
Stuff a roll into the back of a washing machine or in the float of a toilet tank.
Hide it in a fake power outlet — you can install one just for this purpose.
The trick is to make the hiding spot inconvenient or unpleasant enough that a burglar won’t want to bother.
