Security inspections can become a serious problem in Probably Stolen when you're dealing with illegal goods. Fortunately, there are several ways to protect your inventory, including a hidden compartment that's easy to overlook. Knowing where to store your contraband, and which hiding places to avoid, can save you from losing valuable items.
How to Hide Contraband
Nutifruit Poster Secret Compartment
Best Contraband Hiding Spots
How to Expand Contraband Storage
Why Security Finds Hidden Items
Contraband Inspection Tips
How to Hide Contraband in Probably Stolen
To hide contraband in Probably Stolen, use the secret 2x2 compartment behind the Nutifruit poster in your shop. You can place illegal items inside and cover the compartment again to keep them concealed during normal security inspections.
Here's how to use it:
- Find the Nutifruit poster inside your shop.
- Open the hidden compartment behind the poster.
- Place your contraband inside the available 2x2 storage space.
- Cover the compartment with the poster again.
- Keep the poster closed whenever security arrives for an inspection.
The final step is especially important. Leaving the compartment exposed can result in security discovering the items inside, even though they're technically stored in the hidden space.
For small amounts of contraband, this is one of the most convenient hiding methods available. If you regularly handle larger quantities, however, you'll eventually need more room.
How the Nutifruit Poster Secret Compartment Works
The Nutifruit poster conceals a small storage area measuring 2x2, giving you four spaces for hiding items.
Its biggest advantage is that you don't need to dedicate a separate storage bay to a handful of illegal goods.
For example, if you only have a few vials of Dream Dust or other contraband that needs protecting, the wall compartment can be more convenient than purchasing additional storage immediately.
Always Replace the Poster Before Inspections
The hidden compartment only works properly when you cover it again.
It's easy to open the poster, store something valuable, and forget to close it before security arrives.
That mistake defeats the purpose of hiding your items in the first place.
I'd recommend making it a habit to replace the poster immediately after accessing the compartment, rather than leaving it open until the next inspection.
Since the available space is so small, reserve it for items you specifically need to keep hidden instead of filling it with ordinary inventory.
Best Places to Hide Contraband in Probably Stolen
Different hiding methods are useful depending on how much contraband you're storing and whether you're expecting a security inspection.
| Hiding Spot | Capacity | Best Use |
|---|---|---|
| Nutifruit Poster | 2x2 | Small amounts of contraband without buying storage |
| Mini Smuggler's Bay | 3x3 | Compact protected storage setups |
| Smuggler's Bay | 5x5 | Larger contraband collections |
| Expanded Smuggler's Bay | 8x8 | High-volume contraband storage |
| Trash Can | Depends on container | Unreliable emergency hiding option |
The main distinction is between storage designed to conceal contraband and ordinary containers that inspectors may search.
Smuggler's Bays are built for protecting illegal items during normal inspections. A trash can might occasionally go unchecked, but that doesn't make it dependable.
If you're storing something especially valuable, use protected storage rather than gambling on an inspector overlooking a regular container.
How to Expand Your Contraband Storage
The Nutifruit poster is useful early on, but its four storage spaces become limiting once you start producing or collecting more illegal goods.
Smuggler's Bays provide a more practical solution for larger inventories.
Upgrade Your Smuggler's Bay to 8x8
A regular Smuggler's Bay provides 5x5 storage, equivalent to 25 spaces.
You can upgrade to the expanded 8x8 version through the Janitor Exchange using eight Oxymore Injectors.
This increases the available space from 25 to 64, giving you 39 additional storage spaces.
That's more than two and a half times the original capacity, making the upgrade particularly worthwhile if you're regularly running out of room for contraband.
Before investing in the expansion, consider whether you're actually using most of your current protected storage. If you only need to conceal a few small items, the poster compartment may be sufficient for the time being.
Use a Mini Smuggler's Bay for Compact Equipment
A Mini Smuggler's Bay can also be useful for hiding a small production setup.
One approach involves storing contraband inside a Chem Finisher and placing the machine within the Mini Smuggler's Bay.
This can be especially helpful when you're working with chemical products and want to protect the machine and its contents instead of moving every item into separate hiding spaces.
For larger quantities of finished products, however, a regular or expanded Smuggler's Bay offers more room.
Why Does Security Still Find Hidden Contraband?
Even if you're using a proper hiding spot, there are situations where your items can still disappear.
The most important thing is determining whether an ordinary security inspection actually discovered your contraband or whether something else happened.
Your Nutifruit Poster Was Left Open
If security discovers items stored behind the Nutifruit poster, check whether you covered the compartment before the inspection started.
Simply placing items inside the hidden space isn't enough if the opening remains exposed.
Get into the habit of closing it immediately after storing or retrieving anything.
Leroy Is Pretending to Be a Security Officer
One of the more deceptive threats in Probably Stolen is Leroy, a criminal who impersonates a security officer.
Unlike ordinary inspectors, Leroy can steal items from Smuggler's Bays, making it appear as though your supposedly protected inventory has been discovered during an inspection.
You can recognize him by his suspicious appearance, including a scruffy beard and dirty-looking uniform.
If someone arrives claiming to be security, check the wanted criminal list before assuming they're legitimate.
When you identify Leroy, report or arrest him through the game's criminal-handling system rather than treating him as a normal inspector.
This distinction matters because buying more protected storage won't solve a problem caused by someone impersonating an officer.
Not Every Inspection Works the Same Way
Ordinary security inspections and special encounters shouldn't automatically be treated as identical.
The Officer Lun event, for example, is another situation worth distinguishing from routine inspections when investigating missing contraband.
If protected items disappear, check who conducted the inspection before assuming your storage method is ineffective.
How to Avoid Losing Contraband During Inspections
The safest approach is to organize your contraband before security becomes a problem, rather than frantically moving items after an inspector arrives.
Prioritize Your Most Valuable Items
If you don't have enough protected storage for everything, start with the items you'd least want to lose.
For example, a large quantity of valuable Dream Dust deserves protected space more than an ordinary item that can easily be replaced.
Use the Nutifruit poster for smaller quantities, then move into Smuggler's Bays as your inventory grows.
That way, your limited concealment space is being used for the items that actually need it.
Don't Rely on the Trash Can
Trash cans can occasionally conceal items from less thorough inspectors, but they aren't reliable contraband storage.
More attentive guards can search containers and discover what you've hidden.
Even if the method works once, there's no reason to assume it will work during the next inspection.
I would only consider the trash can as a risky last resort, not a replacement for a Smuggler's Bay or the secret poster compartment.
Pay Attention to Your Security Reputation
Maintaining a good relationship with security can also help reduce inspection pressure.
Higher security standing can be associated with fewer contraband inspections, although it shouldn't be treated as a guarantee that your shop won't be searched.
Regardless of your reputation, keeping illegal items inside proper hiding spaces remains important.
Check Your Shop Before Every Inspection
Before allowing an inspection to proceed, make sure your contraband is stored correctly.
- Move valuable illegal goods into the Nutifruit compartment or Smuggler's Bays.
- Confirm the Nutifruit poster is covering its hidden compartment.
- Avoid leaving contraband inside ordinary storage or trash cans.
- Check the identity of anyone claiming to be a security officer.
- If hidden items disappear, consider whether Leroy or a special encounter was involved.
For small amounts of contraband, the Nutifruit poster is an excellent starting point. As your illegal inventory expands, Smuggler's Bays become the more practical solution.
Most importantly, remember that hiding your goods properly and recognizing a fake inspector are two different parts of protecting your shop. You need to get both right if you want to keep your valuable inventory safe.
