After a Break-In: Make the Door Lock Again
Someone forced their way in and now the door will not close properly, or the lock is hanging off it. You need it secure before you can sleep. We come out tonight, repair what can be repaired, replace what cannot, and make sure no old key still works.
Before we touch anything
If it just happened, make sure no one is still inside and call the police first. Wait for them to finish before any repair, and take your own photos of the door, the frame and the lock from a few angles. Your insurer may ask for them, and once we fix the door the evidence is gone.
When you text us, send those same photos. They tell us whether the lock was attacked, the strike plate tore out, or the whole jamb split, and that tells us what to load on the truck.
What usually gives way
On most forced doors the lock itself is fine. What fails is the wood around it: the strike plate held by short screws pulls out, and the door jamb splits along the grain. Sometimes the door edge cracks at the latch. On other doors the cylinder is damaged or the lock body is bent. Each is a different repair, and the tech will show you which one you have before quoting.
Where the frame is split, we can often reinforce the strike area with heavier plates and longer screws that reach the stud. A badly shattered jamb or door may need a carpenter afterward, and we will say so plainly rather than leave you with a patch that looks fine but will not hold.
Tonight versus next week
Our first job is to get the door closing and locking tonight. If a full repair needs parts we do not carry, we secure it as well as possible now and come back to finish. You will know the price of each step before we start it.
If your keys were taken, or you do not know where they all are anymore, rekey the locks too. That way the door is not only repaired but locked against anyone who walked off with a key. Ask about a stronger deadbolt while we are there if the old one was a basic one. Check the other doors and the sliding door too. Many break-ins start with a quiet try at the back of the house before anyone gets to the front, and a weak latch elsewhere is worth knowing about while the tech is already on site.
What we check on a forced door
Common questions
Can you come before the police finish?
We will head your way when you call, but we will not start repairs until the police are done with the scene. Your insurer and the police may both want the door as it was found. Photograph everything, then let us work.
Will you give me a receipt for insurance?
Yes. Every job ends with a written receipt that lists what was repaired, replaced or rekeyed, at what address and on what date. Most insurers ask for exactly that. We cannot tell you what your policy covers, so check with your agent.
My door is wrecked. Can you replace the whole door?
We are locksmiths, so we focus on locks, strikes and reinforcement. We can usually make a damaged door lock securely for now, and if the door or frame truly needs replacing we will tell you so you can bring in a carpenter or door installer.
They did not take keys. Do I still need a rekey?
Not necessarily, but think about it. Burglars sometimes look for spares in drawers and bowls. If any key is missing, or you cannot account for all of them, a rekey is the inexpensive way to be sure.