After a break-in the first job is getting the building secure again. We attend and make the opening secure, whether that means a repair or a temporary closure, and photograph and document everything for your insurer before anything is changed.
What to do first — before anyone touches the door
Call the police and get an occurrence number. Your insurer will require it, and getting it afterwards is considerably harder than getting it at the time.
Photograph the damage before any repair begins. Wide shots showing the door in context, then close-ups of the damage, the broken hardware and the point of entry. This is the single most useful thing you can do for your claim, and it takes two minutes.
Do not tidy up, and do not throw away broken hardware. A snapped cylinder or a torn strike plate is evidence of forced entry, and adjusters do ask. We keep removed components and hand them to you bagged.
Then make it secure. We can attend and either repair properly the same visit or close the opening temporarily until parts arrive.
How forced entries actually happen
In the overwhelming majority of the jobs we attend, the lock was not picked and was not defeated by any kind of skill. The frame split, the glass next to the door was broken, the cylinder was snapped, or the door was simply kicked until the jamb gave way. Forced entry is a strength problem, not a lock-sophistication problem.
That matters for what you do next. Replacing a lock like-for-like after a break-in that succeeded through the frame leaves you exactly as vulnerable as you were the day before. The repair should address the method that worked.
What we repair
- Split, kicked-in and torn-out door jambs, with structural reinforcement rather than filler
- Racked and bent steel frames
- Snapped, drilled and punched lock cylinders
- Torn-out strike plates and keepers
- Damaged and sprung hinges, and hinge-side jamb repair
- Pried aluminium storefront doors and damaged corner assemblies
- Broken exit devices and damaged panic hardware
- Temporary board-up and secure closure where a door or glazing cannot be repaired on the first visit
- Full door and frame replacement where repair is not viable
Insurance documentation
We provide an itemised invoice describing the damage and the work, photographs before and after, and a written statement of the apparent method of entry where the evidence supports one. Adjusters ask for all three and claims move faster when they arrive together.
We can also invoice the insurer directly where your policy allows it, and we will separate the emergency make-safe from the permanent repair on the invoice, because many policies treat those differently.
Upgrading while the door is open
The repair visit is the cheapest opportunity you will ever have to fix the underlying weakness, because the trim is already off and we are already there.
On a door that was kicked, that means a full-length reinforcing strike anchored into the stud. On a snapped cylinder, an anti-snap replacement. On a pried storefront, a latch guard and a working deadlatch. None of these are expensive additions at that moment, and each addresses the specific method that succeeded rather than security in the abstract.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly can you get here after a break-in?
We take emergency calls 7 days a week, 8 AM to 11 PM. Actual arrival depends on where you are in the GTA and what is already in progress, and we will give you a realistic time when you call rather than an optimistic one. If you are waiting on police attendance before anything can be touched, tell us and we will time our arrival to match.
Should I call the police before or after the locksmith?
Police first, and get the occurrence number. Insurers require it, and obtaining it later is harder. If the property may still be occupied by an intruder, do not go in — wait outside for police. Call us once the scene is released, and we will attend to secure it.
Will my insurance cover the repair?
Most commercial and home policies cover damage from forced entry, typically subject to your deductible, and many cover emergency make-safe work separately. We cannot tell you what your specific policy does, but we can make sure the documentation is right: itemised invoice, photographs, and a description of the method of entry. Photograph everything yourself before we start as well.
Can you secure the building first and repair it properly later?
Yes, and that is frequently the sensible sequence. Making the opening secure is the urgent part; matching an extrusion, sourcing a frame section or ordering a specific door is not something to rush. We secure it on the first visit and schedule the permanent repair once parts are in hand.
Do I need to replace all my locks after a break-in?
Usually not all of them. Replace what was damaged, and rekey anything where keys may have been taken — if keys went missing in the burglary, every lock those keys operate should be rekeyed. What matters more than wholesale replacement is fixing the weakness that was exploited, which is generally the frame rather than the lock.
They broke the window, not the door. Do I still need a locksmith?
For the glazing itself you need a glazier, and we can board the opening so the building is secure until glass is available. Where we add value is the reason they chose the glass: it was the weakest point. Laminated security film on the remaining glazing and a review of the door hardware addresses the next attempt, which on commercial premises is a genuine risk after a first incident.
Break-In Repair across the GTA
We provide break-in repair & emergency security throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Pick your city for local detail, or call and we will tell you straight away whether you are in range.
Related services
Emergency Board-Up
Doors and openings boarded and secured when a proper repair cannot be completed on the first visit.
Kicked-In Doors
The most common forced entry in the GTA — repaired and reinforced so the same kick does not work twice.
Door Frame Repair
Split jambs, corroded steel frames and torn-out strikes repaired and reinforced — because no lock is stronger than the frame holding it.
Post-Burglary Upgrades
A structured review of every opening after an incident, with upgrades prioritised by what actually gets exploited.
After a Break-In (Guide)
A practical sequence for the first hours after discovering a forced entry, written for Ontario.