Los Angeles Locksmith Pros Service Team
Local locksmith team
Nov 3, 2026 9 min read
A break-in is one of the most unsettling things a Los Angeles homeowner can experience — and the hours immediately after are critical. Whether the burglar came through a back door in Silver Lake, forced a window in Reseda, or kicked in a front door off Venice Boulevard, your first priority is the same: reseal your home and make sure it cannot happen again tonight. This guide walks you through every practical step, from the moment you call the police to the moment you choose a stronger lock than the one that failed you.
Los Angeles Locksmith Pros responds to post-burglary calls across the entire LA basin around the clock. Our experienced technicians carry the tools and hardware to address emergency door repairs, lock replacements, and full rekeying jobs on the spot — so you are not left exposed while waiting for a follow-up appointment. Read through the steps below, then keep our number handy: (818) 875-9120.
## Step 1 — Make the Scene Safe Before You Touch Anything
Before worrying about locks, call 911 and wait outside if you have any reason to believe an intruder may still be inside. Once officers clear the property and you have a police report number in hand, photograph every point of entry the burglar used. Those photos matter for your insurance claim and will help the locksmith immediately understand what hardware or door frame work is needed. Do not clean up glass or debris near damaged doors until those shots are taken.
If a door has been kicked in or a lock cylinder has been drilled or pried out, the door frame itself may be compromised — a brand-new lock on a cracked jamb provides almost no real security. Our emergency locksmith technicians inspect the entire door assembly, not just the lock face, before recommending the right repair path. We carry jamb-reinforcement hardware on our vans for exactly this scenario, so a single visit can address the frame and the lock together.
## Step 2 — Emergency Board-Up and Temporary Security
If a door cannot be properly closed — because the frame is split, a glass panel is broken, or a mortise lock pocket has been destroyed — the gap must be secured before nightfall. A mortise lock is set into a deep rectangular pocket cut into the door's edge; when a burglar forces one, the surrounding wood often splinters, making a simple lock swap impossible without first repairing the door. For situations like this, a temporary board-up buys you the hours needed to source the correct replacement hardware.
Plywood cut to the door opening and secured from the inside with structural screws is the standard emergency measure. If you are not comfortable doing this yourself, many mobile locksmith teams — including ours — can coordinate or perform basic board-up as part of an emergency response call. Once the opening is secured, you can take a breath and plan the permanent solution without pressure.
## Step 3 — Rekey vs Lock Change — Choosing the Right Fix After a Burglary
Homeowners often ask about rekey vs lock change, and the honest answer is that a burglary usually demands a full lock change rather than a simple rekey. Rekeying rearranges the pins inside an existing cylinder so old keys no longer work — it is fast and cost-effective when the hardware itself is undamaged and you simply want to invalidate former copies. After a forced entry, however, the cylinder may be bent, the bolt mechanism damaged, or the door prep weakened, meaning the existing hardware is no longer trustworthy regardless of the key configuration.
A full lock change means removing all existing hardware and installing fresh, properly rated replacements. This is also the moment to upgrade. A standard door knob lock — the kind most residential doors in Los Angeles were originally built with — offers minimal kick-in resistance on its own. Pairing a quality deadbolt with a reinforced strike plate, or stepping up to a mortise lock set, dramatically raises the effort required for forced entry. Our technicians will walk you through the options and confirm an exact up-front price before any work begins, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
## Step 4 — Choosing Stronger Replacement Hardware, Including Keyless Options
Once the immediate crisis is handled, think about what hardware will genuinely perform better than what you had. A mortise lock — the kind that integrates a deadbolt, latch, and often a chain into a single unit recessed deep in the door edge — is a significant step up from a surface-mounted cylindrical lock. Mortise locks are common on older Los Angeles craftsman bungalows and apartment buildings, and replacing a worn or damaged one with a fresh, high-security version restores that built-in strength. If your home does not currently have a mortise lock, having one installed is worth discussing with your technician.
Keyless lock installation is another option that pairs well with a post-burglary security upgrade. A mortise keyless lock, for example, combines the deep structural integrity of a mortise body with a keypad or smart-credential entry — eliminating the risk of copied keys entirely. Brands like Schlage and Kwikset make well-regarded keyless deadbolts that our team installs regularly across Los Angeles neighborhoods from Koreatown to Chatsworth. If you use a combination-style lock and need to reset access — similar to how homeowners sometimes need to change a Brinks lock code after a security event — we can handle the programming on-site and confirm every credential is cleared before we leave. The factors that shape your final quote include the lock grade you choose, the door prep required, travel distance, and the time of day — all confirmed transparently before we start.
Our 24/7 emergency locksmith service covers every corner of Los Angeles County, so whether you are in the hills above Mulholland or down near the ports in San Pedro, a skilled technician can reach you. If you are ready to move forward now, call (818) 875-9120 — we answer every hour of the day and night.
## Step 5 — Securing Every Entry Point and Planning Ahead
A front door upgrade means little if the side gate, garage, or sliding patio door is still vulnerable. After a burglary, walk every exterior entry with fresh eyes. Sliding glass doors can be lifted off their tracks; a simple cut-down wooden dowel in the floor track costs almost nothing but is remarkably effective. Garage side-entry doors are frequently overlooked and often have only a basic door knob lock — worth upgrading to a keyed deadbolt or a keyless option. Our commercial locksmith division handles multi-unit residential buildings, so landlords managing a Boyle Heights fourplex or a Palms-area apartment complex can bring us in to assess all units in a single visit under a business lock rekey service plan.
Finally, consider who has had keys to your home over the years — prior tenants, contractors, house-sitters, or family members who may have made copies. Even without a break-in, experts recommend rekeying or changing locks whenever that list gets long enough to be uncertain. After a burglary, treating every outstanding key as compromised is simply prudent. Los Angeles Locksmith Pros can rekey or replace hardware on every entry door in a single visit, leaving you with one master key set and total confidence that no old copy will ever work again.
## Our Full Range of Residential and Commercial Locksmith Services
Los Angeles Locksmith Pros offers a comprehensive lineup built around keeping homes, vehicles, and businesses secure across the greater LA area. Our services include: residential lock replacement and installation; mortise lock installation and repair; door knob lock replacement; deadbolt installation and upgrade; keyless lock installation and programming; mortise keyless lock setup; high-security lock installation; emergency locksmith response after break-ins; lock rekeying for homes and rental units; business lock rekey and commercial master-key systems; commercial locksmith services for retail, office, and multi-family buildings; access control system installation; garage door lock repair and replacement; sliding door and window lock installation; mailbox lock replacement; padlock installation and replacement; car lockout service; automotive key cutting and programming; transponder key replacement; ignition lock cylinder repair; car key duplication; smart lock installation and troubleshooting; door frame and strike plate reinforcement; safe opening and lockout service; and 24/7 emergency locksmith dispatch across Los Angeles County. Every service visit begins with a confirmed up-front quote so you know exactly what to expect before we pick up a single tool.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a locksmith cost in Los Angeles after a break-in?+
There is no single flat figure because several factors shape the final quote: the type and grade of lock you choose (a basic deadbolt versus a full mortise lock set, for example), whether the door frame needs reinforcement, the time of day the call comes in, and travel distance to your address. Our technicians confirm the exact price before any work begins, so you are never handed a surprise invoice. Call (818) 875-9120 for a straightforward assessment.
Is it cheaper to replace locks or rekey — and which is better after a burglary?+
Rekeying is generally less involved than a full lock change because it re-pins the existing cylinder rather than replacing all hardware. For routine situations — like moving into a new home or losing a key — rekeying is often the right call. After a forced entry, however, the hardware itself is often damaged or structurally compromised, making a full lock change the safer and more practical choice. A qualified technician can inspect the existing hardware and tell you honestly whether it is worth saving or needs to be replaced entirely.
How do I know if a locksmith is legit and not a scam operation?+
A trustworthy locksmith will give you a business name, arrive in a marked or identifiable vehicle, show identification, and provide a written itemized quote before starting work — not an artificially low number that balloons once the job is underway. Trained and insured technicians carry professional tools and hardware, not improvised equipment. If a technician refuses to provide a clear up-front quote or pressures you to approve work before explaining the scope, that is a red flag. Los Angeles Locksmith Pros operates transparently: we quote first and work second, every time.
What is a master locksmith, and do I need one for post-burglary repairs?+
The term master locksmith generally refers to an experienced technician with broad knowledge across lock types — from standard pin-tumbler cylinders to complex mortise lock bodies, high-security systems, and electronic access control. After a burglary, having a skilled, experienced technician matters because they can assess not just the broken lock but the entire door assembly, the frame integrity, and the best hardware upgrade path. Our team handles everything from a simple door knob lock swap to full mortise lock installation and keyless system programming in a single visit.
