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Crimes involving firearms are a serious issue. It's clear that law enforcement treats firearm-related offenses with urgency due to the threat they pose to human life. Those facing potential capture for such crimes often go to extreme lengths to conceal their weapons. As a result, firearms have been hidden in some of the most bizarre and, at times, humorous spots. This list highlights 10 of the most peculiar locations where guns have been hidden.
10. Raw Chicken
In 2022, a record number of firearms were intercepted at TSA checkpoints across Florida. One notable event occurred in September 2022 when the TSA shared on Instagram a bizarre incident where someone tried to conceal a firearm inside a chicken. This strange occurrence took place at Fort Lauderdale’s Terminal 4 at around 6 am on September 27.
The individual involved was reportedly heading to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The penalty for such an act can exceed $13,000, even without an arrest. Rather than stuffing your weapon inside poultry, the TSA advises travelers to pack firearms in checked luggage, adhering to specific firearm regulations. In addition to the risks posed by firearms, raw chicken also harbors bacteria like salmonella and E. Coli, which can easily spread on surfaces.
Although it may seem like a rare incident, raw chicken making its way through baggage claim is not as uncommon as it sounds. In 2021, another raw chicken (this time without a firearm) was discovered by TSA on a luggage carousel in Seattle.
9. A Gaming Console
In 2013, Sony ceased production of the PlayStation 2. However, in 2014, authorities in New York and New Jersey discovered parts of a firearm concealed within a PlayStation 2 and its game, along with other items in the man's luggage. TSA officers grew suspicious when the item appeared unusual in an X-ray scan. Upon inspection, they uncovered several components of a .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun inside the PlayStation 2, alongside a tripod.
The PlayStation 2 game box was labeled 'Nick Toons: Attack of the Toybots' and featured a cover with SpongeBob SquarePants and other animated characters gearing up for battle. When authorities opened the PlayStation 2, they found the firearm parts hidden beneath its base. The man, who was en route to Mexico City, was arrested on weapon-related charges.
8. A Donated Sock
In 2014, a tragic incident occurred at a Chicago thrift store when a firearm concealed in a donated sock discharged, fatally wounding a worker. The woman was sorting through clothes at Unique Thrift Store when the gun went off, hitting her in the chest. A male colleague discovered the sock with a heavy object inside and, upon inspection, found it contained a .22 caliber handgun, which later discharged, causing her death.
The circumstances surrounding how the firearm ended up inside the sock remain unclear. In the United States, a significant portion of donated clothing is discarded each year due to safety concerns. Approximately 25% of donated clothes end up in landfills, while 40-50% are sent to the secondhand market. This leaves 25-35% of the items on store shelves, and only 10-20% of donations are sold domestically.
7. A Hair Weave
In 2014, a woman from Raleigh was arrested after it was discovered she had managed to smuggle a firearm into the Wake County Detention Center by hiding it in her hair weave. The arrest followed an early morning raid at a Raleigh nightclub, where she faced charges of resisting arrest, carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of a stolen firearm. It's unclear whether the firearm used in the charges was the same one found in her hair weave.
The weapon found was a small derringer, revealed during a court hearing. When discovered, the woman was in the Detention Center’s booking area, not yet processed into the jail. The department later reviewed its procedures to assess if all policies were adhered to and whether any revisions were necessary. The woman's bond was set at $65,000.
6. An Oven's Broiler
In 2018, a man from Warren, Ohio, decided to store his firearm in the oven’s broiler to keep it safe when children were about to arrive at his house. Later, his girlfriend, unaware of the gun's location, used the oven to bake. While she was cooking, she heard a loud 'bang' and assumed it was a gunshot from outside. The man went to the oven, opened the broiler, and tried to retrieve his revolver. He ended up with a minor burn.
The heat from the oven caused the bullets inside the gun to detonate. Either two bullets or fragments hit the man on each of his shoulders. He was rushed to a local hospital for treatment. His girlfriend, questioned separately, had no idea what had happened. While the man suffered serious injuries, he was reported to be stable.
Afterward, bullet holes were found in the stove, and it appeared the gun had been exposed to extreme heat. Empty shell casings were discovered in two of the firearm’s six chambers. A detective at the scene remarked that, in his 30 years of service, this was the first time he had seen someone shot by an appliance. Unfortunately, this wouldn't be the last incident involving dangerous appliance misuse. In the same year, a 29-year-old man in Mumbai tragically died when a co-worker inserted a high-pressure air compressor into his body.
5. A Baby Shower Gift
The Baby Einstein brand has been no stranger to accusations of potential harm. Some complaints are more direct than others. One such complaint, filed in 2010 in California, claimed that the creators of Baby Einstein, alongside the Walt Disney Company, falsely advertised their 'educational' products, suggesting they could make children smarter, despite evidence showing that the products had no such effect.
In a different incident, a Florida couple received a Baby Einstein-themed gift during a baby shower, which they believed contained an infant bouncer. However, when they opened the box, they were shocked to find a semi-automatic .22 caliber Mossberg rifle instead of the expected jumper. The friends who had given the gift had purchased it from a Goodwill store in Valparaiso, Florida.
At the time of purchase, the box was sealed with tape, and the gift-givers had assumed it contained the bouncer. The rifle found inside was not reported as stolen, and there was no sign of it being linked to any criminal activity. After confirming that the expectant parents had no criminal background, law enforcement allowed them to keep the firearm. However, after further review, law enforcement later requested possession of the weapon.
4. A DVD Player
In 2018, a man from New York was arrested after attempting to carry a firearm through JFK International Airport. The weapon, a 9 mm handgun, was concealed inside a DVD player wrapped in aluminum foil. The firearm was unloaded at the time of confiscation. The man was arrested at his gate before boarding a flight to Mexico and was later charged with violating weapons laws.
Over the years, numerous stories have surfaced about various objects hidden inside DVD players. In 2021, a couple from Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, received over $20,000 as part of a lawsuit settlement they filed against a former Penn State University roommate. The roommate had gifted the couple a DVD player that was secretly outfitted with a camera, which recorded the couple during private moments, including changing clothes and engaging in sexual intercourse.
3. Underwear
In 2019, a Michigan man found himself arrested on firearm charges after attempting to smuggle a loaded revolver into Cook County Jail. The .22 caliber revolver, complete with live rounds, was detected during a body scan at the jail. The scan revealed an object in the man’s crotch area, which turned out to be the firearm’s handle.
After the man underwent a strip search with no results, the Sheriff’s office initiated an investigation into how the weapon had been concealed, especially given that he had been in custody for two days prior and had attended a bond hearing during that time. Ultimately, he was charged with possessing contraband within a penal institution.
While it's certainly unusual that the man managed to conceal a gun in his underwear for two days without being detected, it might not be the most bizarre item hidden in this manner. In 2017, a man in Salisbury, Maryland, made headlines when he was found to be concealing a digital scale in his underwear during a routine traffic stop.
2. A Vagina
A medical study suggests that the average vaginal depth is around 3.77 inches (9.6 cm), though it is important to note that variations in size are generally not visible.
In 2012, a Texas woman was arrested during a late-night traffic stop, only to later reveal she had concealed a loaded handgun in her vagina. Alongside the firearm, she and an accomplice were found to have 2.7 grams of methamphetamine under the car's driver's seat, 29.9 grams of meth in a purse, and a set of scales.
While the suspects were being transported to jail, the woman disclosed the presence of a firearm inside her body. Officers immediately halted and searched her, confirming that a loaded handgun was concealed within her vagina. The weapon was found with a round chambered and a full magazine of bullets. It's unclear whether the safety on the firearm was engaged at the time it was recovered.
The firearm involved was a Smith & Wesson Model 61 semi-automatic pistol, specifically the 61 Escort, measuring 4.69 inches (11.9 cm) in length. This raised questions about how the entire firearm could be concealed within the woman's body. She was charged with manufacturing and delivering a controlled substance in a drug-free environment, two counts of possessing a dangerous drug, and one count of unlawfully carrying a weapon.
1. A Teddy Bear
Teddy bears are among the most popular gifts given globally. These stuffed animals come in a variety of sizes, colors, and shapes. There are even stories of bears with hidden compartments that conceal firearms.
In 2019, two teenagers in the Nashville area were arrested after police discovered firearms concealed within teddy bears in an apartment. Authorities had been alerted by reports of the teenagers carrying guns while wearing masks. Upon arriving at the scene, the suspects attempted to flee but were caught by law enforcement. After gaining permission from the apartment's leaseholder to search, officers found two firearms hidden inside a stuffed bear, along with 167 MDMA pills, 182 Xanax pills, and additional drugs prepared for distribution.
+ BONUS: Anal Cavity
In 2015, a New Jersey man was found to have hidden a firearm inside his anal cavity. Arrested on a contempt of court charge, he had initially requested to use the restroom, but after officers mentioned they would search him and the restroom both before and after he went, he changed his mind, claiming he no longer needed to go. This led officers to suspect he was concealing something.
Law enforcement later searched the man and discovered an automatic handgun hidden between his buttocks and inserted into his anus. The weapon was fully loaded and was later traced back to being stolen in Alabama. The man faced additional charges, including unlawful possession of a weapon, receiving stolen property, and contempt.
Although the temptation to hide items in the anal cavity might arise in certain situations, doing so carries significant risks, such as potential intestinal blockages, acute intoxication when drugs are involved, and, in this particular case, the unintentional discharge of the weapon.
