How to Hide Valuables at Festivals, in Caravans and on Campsites
After 31 years trading at festivals — including 21 years at Glastonbury’s dance field — I’ve seen everything that can be nicked, get nicked. Tents sliced open. Sleeping bags rifled through. Wallets found two fields away.
The people who lost nothing had one thing in common. Their valuables weren’t where a thief would look first.
Here’s what actually works — whether you’re at a festival, touring in a caravan, or spending a week on a campsite.
At festivals
Tent security is mostly a myth. Most festival tents can be unzipped in three seconds. A padlock just tells people there’s something worth nicking inside.
The bum bag advice is right for when you’re out in the crowd. But what about when you’re asleep? Or when you leave the tent for a shower block that’s a five-minute walk away?
The answer is to make your tent look like there’s nothing worth taking. Hide things in places nobody searches — a can of something fizzy in a carrier bag by your cool box, a snack tin under a jumper, a lighter sitting on top of your gear with everything else. Nobody picks those up. Nobody opens them.
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In caravans & motorhomes
Caravans get broken into. It happens on quiet campsites as much as busy ones. The opportunist thief is looking for cash, cards and keys — and they’ll check the obvious places first. Drawers, jacket pockets, under the mattress.
What they won’t check is the cleaning cupboard. Or the toilet brush holder. Or the fire extinguisher.
A diversion safe is a real-looking everyday object with a hidden compartment inside. The toilet brush safe is one of our best sellers for caravan owners — nobody picks up a toilet brush in someone else’s van. Nobody. The household cleaner and gunk degreaser work the same way tucked under the sink. For bigger items — passports, cash, a spare bank card — the fire extinguisher version gives you serious capacity.
Best picks for caravans & motorhomes
Camping & glamping
Campsites are generally safer than festivals, but theft still happens — and it’s almost always opportunistic. Someone walks past, spots your car keys on the folding table through the mesh tent window, and helps themselves in ten seconds flat.
At a campsite you’ve got more room to work with. A dog food can in the food storage box. An air freshener on the shelf by the awning. A nut and bolt sitting in the toolkit bag. None of these raise an eyebrow — which is exactly why they work.
Best picks for camping & glamping
Questions people ask
Do diversion safes actually work?
Yes, in the right situation. A diversion safe works because thieves don’t search everything — they’re looking for obvious targets (wallets, bags, phones) and they’re in a hurry. A can of something fizzy in a carrier bag doesn’t get opened. A cleaning product under the sink doesn’t get moved. The limitation is a methodical search of a small space — then any hiding place can fail. But that’s not what opportunistic theft looks like at a festival or campsite.
Are stash cans legal in the UK?
Yes. There’s nothing illegal about a container with a hidden compartment. They’re sold as storage, security products and novelty gifts. What you put in them is your business.
Can a thief tell a stash can from the real thing?
A good one — no. The weight is built in so it feels right in the hand. The label matches the original product. At a glance, in a bag or on a shelf, there’s nothing to give it away. The cheaper ones feel noticeably light, which is why it matters which brand you go for.
Where do I put a stash can in a tent?
In a carrier bag with other food and drink. On top of your kit. In the cool box among actual cans. Somewhere it belongs. The mistake is placing it separately — it needs to look like part of the clutter, not like something you’ve deliberately hidden.
What about festival lockers?
Good for phones and wallets during the day. Less useful for overnight security — you can’t lock your tent contents in a festival locker. Use both if you can: a locker for what you’re carrying in the crowd, a diversion safe for what stays in the tent.
What’s the best pick for a caravan?
The toilet brush safe. Nobody picks up a toilet brush in someone else’s van. That’s the whole point. Put it in the bathroom, leave it there, don’t mention it to anyone.
See everything we stock
Twenty-one to choose from — drinks cans, food tins, cleaning products, household bits, garden gear. From £3 to £74.99, available online with UK shipping or in the shop on Lowthian Street, Preston.
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