What counts as an emergency locksmith call in Westlake Village?
An emergency locksmith call is any lock problem that leaves you unable to get in, unable to secure your home or business, or unable to leave safely. Most of these happen at bad hours: late at night after dinner out, early in the morning before work, or on a weekend when every other shop is closed. These are the situations we get called for most:
Emergency door unlocking is the most common request, and when the lock is in decent shape it is usually a clean, quick job. The harder calls involve damage, because then the job is not only getting you inside. It is making the property secure again before we leave.
What is not an emergency: a lock that is stiff but still works, a spare key you would like to have made, or a rekey you have been meaning to schedule. Those are better done in daytime and are often the lighter-cost way to handle it. If you are not sure which category you are in, call and describe it. We will tell you honestly whether it has to happen tonight. Car lockouts are their own kind of job, and our car lockout service page covers how those work.
- You are locked out of your house and no spare key is within reach.
- A door or frame was damaged in a break-in or attempted break-in and no longer latches or locks.
- A key snapped off in the lock and part of it is stuck inside the cylinder.
- A deadbolt or handle set failed while the door was locked, leaving you trapped in or out.
- Keys were lost or stolen and you do not want to spend the night with the old locks in place.
- An office, suite, or shop cannot be locked up at closing time.
How does an emergency lockout call work, step by step?
Here is what actually happens when you call (213) 577-1366, so none of it is a surprise when someone is standing at your door.
If the lock cannot be opened without damage, that is a decision we put in front of you before it happens, not after. Sometimes drilling a cylinder is the only way in. When that is the case, you will hear it from us first, along with what the replacement will involve.
- Call (213) 577-1366. The line is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.
- Tell us what is happening: which door (front, side, sliding, garage entry, office suite), whether the deadbolt is thrown, whether anything is damaged, and whether a child, a pet, or something on the stove is behind the locked door. That last part changes how we prioritize.
- We talk through what the job is likely to involve and how the cost will be worked out, and we give you an honest read on when we can reach you given where you are.
- On arrival, we ask you to show that you live there or have the right to be there. Any reputable locksmith should ask this. It protects you as much as anyone.
- We try non-destructive entry first: picking, bypass, or shimming, depending on the lock and the door.
- If the lock has to be drilled or the hardware replaced, we explain why and what it will involve before we start.
- Before leaving, we make sure the door closes, latches, and locks properly, and we hand over working keys if the lock was changed.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What do you do after a break-in or forced door?
A forced door is a different job from a lockout. Someone may have kicked in the door, pried at the jamb, or tried to drill or pull a cylinder. The first thing we do is look at what actually failed: the lock, the strike plate, the door edge, or the frame. Often the lock is fine and the weak point is a split jamb or a strike plate screwed into soft wood.
Our goal on the night of a break-in is to leave you with a door that closes and locks, so you are not sitting up guarding an open entry. Depending on what was damaged, that can mean replacing a cylinder, setting a new strike plate with longer screws into solid framing, or fitting a new deadbolt. If the frame is split beyond what hardware can fix, you will need a carpenter, and we will say so plainly rather than patch something that will not hold.
There is also the question of keys. If someone got in, or if your keys were taken, the old keys are no longer a safe bet. Depending on the hardware, rekeying the locks is usually the more economical route, because it keeps the existing hardware and makes the old keys useless. If the hardware itself was damaged, lock replacement is the right call.
If there is any chance someone is still on the property or you feel unsafe, call 911 first and call us after. Take photos of the damage before anything is repaired, since your insurer or the police may ask for them.
What if a key broke off in the lock?
A snapped key looks like a small problem and turns into a bigger one when people try to fix it themselves. Pliers and tweezers tend to push the piece deeper or scratch the pins. Glue is worse. If part of the key is still sticking out, leave it alone and do not keep turning it.
What we do depends on how much of the key is left and what kind of lock it is. Often the piece can be pulled with the right extractor and the lock goes right back into service. Sometimes the cylinder is already worn or bent and is better replaced. Either way, we cut a working key afterward if the lock is staying. For the full process, see our page on broken key extraction. If the broken key is in a door you cannot open, the emergency visit covers both problems in one trip.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What affects the cost of an emergency locksmith in Westlake Village?
We do not quote numbers in a web page, because the honest answer depends on the job. What we can do is tell you exactly what moves the cost, so the figure you hear on the phone makes sense.
One more honest point: emergency work is not always the right way to solve a problem. If you are locked out but safe, and you can wait until business hours without trouble, the daytime route is often the lighter-cost option. If it cannot wait, we will not make you feel bad about calling.
- Time of day. Nights, weekends, and holidays involve pulling someone out of their off hours, and that is reflected in the job.
- Distance. Our storefront is at 10740 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood, roughly 32 miles from Westlake Village, and that drive is part of the picture.
- The lock and door. A standard knob lock on an interior-facing door is a different job from a high-security deadbolt or a multipoint lock on a glass door.
- Whether non-destructive entry works. Opening a lock cleanly is usually less work than drilling it, but drilling means the lock then needs replacing.
- Parts. If cylinders, strike plates, or a whole handle set have to be replaced, the hardware you choose affects the total.
- Rekey versus replace. Rekeying existing hardware is usually the more economical route when the locks themselves are undamaged.
- How many locks are involved. One front door is a different job from every exterior door at a house or every suite door at an office.
Why call Wilshire Lock & Key for an emergency?
Wilshire Lock & Key has been in business since 1987. We have a storefront in Westwood and mobile service vans, so the person who answers your call works for the same company that sends the technician. There is no national call center passing your job to whichever contractor picks it up, and that matters when you are standing outside at night and need straight answers.
David, the owner and lead technician, oversees the work. That means someone with decades of experience stands behind how a job gets done, whether it is a simple door opening or a repair after a forced entry. We serve 140 cities across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, so the Westlake Village area, which straddles the county line, is part of our normal territory.
If you want more on how we are set up, our mobile locksmith service page explains the vans, and our 24-hour locksmith page covers how round-the-clock availability works day to day.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366What do emergency lock calls look like around Westlake Village?
Westlake Village was master-planned from the late 1960s around its man-made lake, and most of the housing is 1960s–1980s single-family tracts, many under HOAs. That shapes the emergency calls. If your HOA has rules about exterior hardware, mention it when you call, so a temporary fix tonight does not create a problem later.
In older tracts such as First Neighborhood and Foxmoor, original 1960s–70s door hardware is still in use in some homes. Old hardware can fail at the worst moment: a latch that finally stops retracting, a cylinder worn so far that the key breaks. In those cases, getting you in tonight is step one, and replacing the worn hardware once things are calm is step two.
Westlake Island homes sit behind a gated bridge entrance, so a lockout there has an extra step: tell us when you call how we will get through, whether that is a gate code or a neighbor or family member meeting us at the entrance. The same goes for gated or HOA-managed sections elsewhere, including Three Springs, Southshore Hills, Trentwood, and Hidden Canyon. If you are in the 91361 ZIP code and are not sure how access works, ask us on the call and we will work through it with you. Lakefront homes on Westlake Island also come up for lockouts and rekeys, and a rekey after a lost key is a sensible follow-up to an emergency entry.
Condos and townhomes near the lake and Agoura Road bring their own quirks, like shared entries, a building manager with a master key, or a lease that limits what you can change. If you are a renter or in a managed building, check what you are allowed to do before we change hardware. For a house, our house lockout page covers the usual process.
Commercial emergencies also happen here. The business parks along Lindero Canyon Road have offices and medical suites where a failed lock at closing time or a lost key at opening can stop a day's work, and restaurants and hospitality spots near The Landing and the Westlake Village Inn have their own after-hours needs. For those, see our business lockout service page.
The Conejo Valley climate is warm and dry in summer, with Santa Ana wind events. Sun wears finishes and wood moves a little with the seasons, which can make a door that used to latch easily start to bind. We do not blame the weather for most lockouts, but it is part of why older hardware here fails the way it does. If you are in a nearby area such as North Ranch in Thousand Oaks or Lake Sherwood in Ventura County, we serve both counties.
Locked out or need a locksmith now?
We answer around the clock, every day of the year.
Call (213) 577-1366How do I check that an emergency locksmith is legitimate?
Emergency situations are when people get taken advantage of, so a few checks are worth doing. California requires locksmith companies to hold a BSIS LCO license, which is the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services company license. Ask any locksmith you call for their license number, and do not be shy about it.
Beyond that, there are a few simple things to watch for. Be wary of anyone who will not describe how the cost is worked out, who quotes a very low number on the phone and then changes it on arrival, or who wants to drill a lock before even trying to open it. A good locksmith explains the job before touching your door and does not pressure you to authorize more work than you need.
While you wait for us, stay in a safe, well-lit spot. Do not force the door or a window if it could injure you or cause damage that costs more than the lockout. If you have a spare key with a neighbor, family member, or property manager, it is worth one quick call before paying for a locksmith at all.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can you get to Westlake Village?
Our storefront is in Westwood, roughly 32 miles away, so it is a real drive and traffic matters. We do not give a fixed arrival number we cannot stand behind. When you call (213) 577-1366, we tell you honestly what to expect based on where our vans are and what time it is.
Do you really answer the phone in the middle of the night?
Yes. The line at (213) 577-1366 is answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year, including holidays. Lockouts do not keep business hours, and neither do we.
Will you damage my door getting me inside?
Usually not. We try non-destructive methods first, such as picking or bypass. If the lock has to be drilled because nothing else works, we tell you before we do it and explain that the cylinder will then need to be replaced.
How much does an emergency locksmith cost?
It depends on the time of day, the distance, the lock and door, whether we can open it cleanly, and what parts are needed afterward. We explain how the job is priced on the phone and again on site before work starts, so you can decide with the facts in front of you.
Do I have to prove the home or office is mine?
Yes, and any reputable locksmith will ask. We ask for some reasonable proof that you live there or have authority over the property, such as ID that matches the address or mail. It protects you from someone else talking their way into your home.
I live on Westlake Island. How do you get past the gate?
Tell us when you call. Usually it is a gate code, or a resident or family member meeting us at the bridge entrance. Sorting that out on the phone keeps the visit from stalling at the gate.
Someone broke into my house. Should I call you or the police first?
If there is any danger or you think someone may still be inside, call 911 first. Once it is safe, call us to secure the door. Take photos of the damage before it is repaired, since the police or your insurer may want them.
Can you rekey the locks the same night as a lockout?
Often, yes, if the hardware is in good shape. Rekeying is usually the more economical route when the locks are undamaged, because the existing hardware stays and the old keys stop working. If the hardware is damaged or worn, we may recommend replacing it instead.
What should I ask a locksmith before they come out?
Ask for their California BSIS LCO license number, how the cost will be worked out, and whether they try non-destructive entry first. A company that answers those questions clearly is a better bet than one that dodges them.
More locksmith help in Westlake Village
Emergency Locksmith near Westlake Village
Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.
Last updated 2026-10-11.