Where do you keep your valuables? Most people keep their valuables like cash and jewelry in the very place burglars are most likely to look for them: the master bedroom drawers. A burglar wants to spend no more time in your house than they have to. So, they make a bee-line for the spot that is the most likely to yield some treasure. They’ll search through your nightstand or dresser drawers because that’s the most likely place to uncover your valuables. These are the places thieves will check first because they are most likely to find jewelry, money or other small but expensive items. And small and valuable is a great combination for a thief. They can take off with incredibly valuable items simply in their pockets rather than toting around a swag bag.
For the more ‘professional” burglar, a conventional safe is an obvious treasure chest because after all…. that’s what a safe is for, to store your most valuable items. You don’t keep garbage in it right? And, if they do have the time and skills, it could be pried up and taken back to their workshop to be “worked” on. (That’s why you need to check this guide out on conventional safes, because having the right safe in the right location, installed the right way makes all the difference). But, this is where a diversion safe could be a useful option. These are inexpensive options (and many of them you can create yourself). It doesn’t require a ton of time to install anything either. After all, you will be storing them in plain sight!
What is a Diversion Safe?
A diversion safe can be any container or compartment you can conceal your goods in and that appears to be an everyday item. The container is often kept in plain site, but because it is a regular everyday item, no one would suspect that it contains your valuable stuff. The diversion safe could be a hollowed-out flower pot with a houseplant perched in the top. Or, an empty can of soup or WD-40. Or perhaps the most iconic diversion safe of all, a hollowed out book (think Shawshank Redemption). You can hide your goods in anything really. You could get creative yourself or purchase a diversion safe that is designed to blend in with your home and avoid detection by thieving hands. Below are some ideas to get you started.
Make Your Diversion Safe Ordinary and Boring
The key to a diversion safe is that it blends in with it’s surroundings. But rather than camo blending in with trees or a desert, the environment you are hiding the diversion safe in is your household. So, the diversion safe should not look out of place wherever you place it in your home. Avoid anything that looks too fancy. That alone might attract a person to it. Think more along the lines of cleaning supplies or hygiene items. Often the more mundane the object, the more effective it is.
Make your diversion Safe Believable
Whatever object you use to conceal your valuable, make sure that object is believable. You don’t want the diversion safe to be obviously be taken as a fake. There are some diversions safes that are quite clearly fake. They look fake. If a safe is in the form of a book, then it really needs to look like a…. book… not some plastic toy! If a diversion safe is in the form of a branded hygiene item like a bar of Dove deodorant, then make sure the logos and appearance are authentic looking.
Think About the Security of Your Diversion Safe
Diversion safes aren’t always as secure as they appear, and some of them rely too much on their disguise.
That’s why you might want to consider the actual security of the safe itself. Does it have a locking mechanism that will prevent accidental discovery or loss? A combination or keyed lock will increase the safe’s effectiveness against the curiosity of any children or guests.
Your Diversion Safe Should Have Some Inherent Value
If your safe does not have any actual value to it, then it may be tossed away in the garbage, along with it’s valuable contents you’re storing inside. If someone is unaware that it’s a safe, and it doesn’t have any inherent value to it, like it then it might be vulnerable to being disposed of like a used can of WD-40 or en empty bottle of washing detergent. So, a safe that has some value as perhaps a keepsake, like a book, or potted plant, will be less like to be disposed of.
Clever diversion safe ideas
Flower Pot
Potted plants are a common sight in and around homes. You can take advantage of this opportunity by buying a flower pot with a fake plant. To conceal your valuables, simply lift the fake plant and place it in the hidden compartment beneath. You can always use your existing plants if you don’t wish to purchase anything new. You can put your money and other valuables into a container. Then, cover it with soil and place your plant back inside. Although it can be difficult to get your valuables out of hiding, it is unlikely that thieves will take the time to uproot your beautiful flowers in order to search for them.
Fake Rock Key Safe
Ahh the good old fake rock with concealed compartment for your spare key! The appearance of this popular, classic diversion safe is deceiving. It will fit right in with the natural surroundings right outside your door and is ideal for concealing those extra keys.
Fake Electrical & Plumbing Fixtures
Because these are PVC and rated for outdoor use, some PVC pipe mixed with an electrical box or clean out plug can be ideal for storing items like keys or even valuables outside where a burglar would least expect it. Similarly they could be kept under the sink, in a closet, or in a basement or attic.
Hollow Markers To Stash Cash
Take an old marker, pop off the end cap and take out the ink cartridge. It’s large enough to store a roll of cash and keep it on a desk in plain sight. Just make sure your remember!
Hair Brush Safe
A hairbrush safe is a great choice if you’re looking for somewhere to hide cash from prying eyes. The brush’s container is small. You can find some with a locking mechanism. It is unlikely that a robber will be looking for your valuables in this small compartment. And of course, it has real value: use it to brush your hair- it is a genuine hairbrush. This is also the perfect diversion safe to travel with. Many of the other safes are items that you definitely wouldn’t take with you on a vacation or business trip.
Surge protector safe
You can purchase a surge protector safe that looks like the real thing. It provides more horizontal storage than some diversion safe options but is limited in width.
Air Vent Safe
An air vent diversion safe is simple but larger than most of the other alternatives. It works because it becomes part of your wall and sometimes a little safe may not be enough at times. You can also make your own by purchasing a cheap air vent grille and cutting out a hole in the dry wall. Use dry wall screws and strong magnets (rare earth magnets are best) glued on the screw heads to keep the air vent in place without having to unscrew it every time. Or, you can purchase one like this or this.
Pillow Safe
The pillow safe is a great option if you need more space to conceal money or protect larger valuables. The pillow safe is more spacious and comfortable than a regular pillow. You can keep your valuables concealed from others and still sleep on it. Even if you aren’t using the pillow to sleep with, it’s still not a place that intruders will likely check first. It can be taken on vacation .
Candle Safe
Candle safes are another way to protect your valuables. A candle safe is a metal container that fits inside a large wax candle. It has an opening at its bottom so you can hide your cash, money, secret notes, or anything else you need. Although you may be able to light the candle wick, it’s not recommended that you leave it burning for too long as this could compromise the security and privacy of the items in the candle safe.
Book Safe
Most people have seen movies in which one of the characters opens a Bible or other book to reveal that its pages have been cut and hollowed out and something valuable stored inside. You’ll want to pick a book that is unlikely to be picked up by others if you have friends or family who are religious. A dictionary is one of the most useful, but also least interesting books that you will find in a typical home or office. It is a great book to conceal expensive jewelry or other items. This book, or any other boring book, can be made into a hidden safe by removing the interior. You can even buy book safes with a metal container inside. These can be secured with a key lock.
Water Bottle Safe
The bottle safe is a diversion safe that can be hard to make but can be purchased easily. There are two main components to a bottle safe. The top is where the water is actually poured in. The label of the bottled waters company covers the bottom portion. This compartment is small enough to conceal valuables like cash or jewelry. Only problem is that thieves might open the lid to get a drink of water, and discover your secret safe.
Can Safe
A can safe, like other types of diversion safes, has its pros and cons. Cans are so common that thieves will likely not notice them. However, one downside to a can safe is that family members and cleaning ladies might mistakenly assume that the soda can on your shelf belongs to garbage and just throw it away while cleaning. You should make sure that the container is in a safe and natural location. It’s recommended that you keep it in a small lunchbox and store it somewhere in your home.
How can I make a diversion safe?
You can find a few online businesses that sell diversion safes. However, you can also make your own safe using real objects around your home. The easiest way to stash cash is to use any type of chip can (such as Pringles), or remove the batteries from your flashlight, or use the inside of an old vacuum cleaner. An alternative to a purchased can safe is to make one yourself using a used and cleaned mayonnaise jar with the interior painted with a white cream paint. Keep it in fridge to store your valuables or cold hard cash in… all secured in plain sight! There you have it. Although diversion safes may not be perfect, they can still provide a good way to hide your valuables from burglars. BUT you should always remember where your stuff is, or you could accidentally throw it away.
Additional Security – a Conventional Safe & Alarm Systems
You can’t hide everything in diversion safes. And, you probably won’t be able to keep track of them either! That’s why a conventional safe with suitable dimensions for your larger valuables and documents is advisable along with an extra layer of security of a monitored alarm system and/or cameras.