It’s important to hide a spare key somewhere on your property so that you can get in if you forget your key. This saves you a call to the locksmith and ensures you always have access to your home. However, you need to find the right place to hide your key so that an intruder can’t find it and gain access to your home.

3 Places to Hide a Key That Burglars Won’t Check

1. Gutter

Most thieves are only willing to spend a couple of minutes looking for your key. Putting it in a gutter guarantees that they won’t find it in time before they risk being spotted. Find a gutter that’s closed and where water only flows on the bottom and attach the key to the top part of the gutter where it won’t get wet. Just make sure you check this space regularly to make sure it hasn’t rusted or been swept away.

2. Jar of Keys

Sometimes the secret can be hiding your key in plain sight. You can fill a glass jar full of keys of all different shapes, sizes, and colors. If you’d rather, you can put the keys on a string or use them to make a windchime. A locksmith might be able to give you advice on how to find extra keys for this. Then, distinguish your key in some way that’s not obvious, such as writing numbers on the keys. Fill the jar halfway, drop in the real key, and then fill the jar the rest of the way to hide your key.

3. Air Conditioner

Most burglars aren’t going to think to look in an AC unit for a key. It’s rarely by the front door and isn’t convenient to access. Find a safe spot to put your key in the unit, like taped inside of the access door or panel. However, you need to make sure that it’s not visible from the outside and that it won’t fall and interfere with the unit's operation.

Columbia Lock and Safe provides locksmith services to residents and business owners in the Columbia, MO, area. They’ve been serving the community since 1992, and their team offers rekeying, lock repair, and lock changing services. They offer 24-hour emergency services if you’re locked out after hours. Visit their website to learn more or call (573) 443-5397 today for help with your lock.