Wiktionary
a. (context idiomatic British English) A place that has too much police activity to harbor a fugitive unnoticed.
Usage examples of "too hot to hold".
The mugs were warm enough: just this side of too hot to hold, the ideal temperature for drinking Holtish brandy.
These were silver and transmitted the heat of the tea straight to the handle making it too hot to hold.
Without any open scandal, he still made India too hot to hold him.
New Hampshire isn't noted for its summers, but in the sun the converter was getting too hot to hold.
What creditable enterprise he might have had in view when he made that purchase I can't say, but it is evident that what with High Commissioners, consuls, men-of-war, and international control, the South Seas were getting too hot to hold gentlemen of his kidney.
Their weapons be came too hot to hold as blue flames danced along the blades.