A small mobile locksmith, working out of vans

Why we commit to the price on the phone

We got tired of the call that starts with someone asking, warily, whether we are "one of the cheap service-call ones."

Los Angeles has a genuine locksmith fraud problem — a documented one, flagged by both the FTC and the state Attorney General. The consequence for an honest locksmith here is that every customer arrives already suspicious, and the industry's standard answer of "the technician will assess it when he gets there" sounds exactly like the people who burned them.

There is no way to talk your way out of that. The only thing that works is committing to a real number before anyone drives out, and then honoring it — which is why we quote a firm total on the call, surcharge included, and why that total is what appears on the invoice.

What we actually promise

• A firm total on the phone, before a van leaves — including the after-hours surcharge if it is the middle of the night.
• The quote you agreed to is the invoice you get. If the job turns out to be different from what you described, we stop and re-quote before doing any work.
• Non-destructive opening wherever it is possible. Drilling is a last resort, and you hear about it before it happens.
• Proof of ownership checked on every single job, without exception. It is the line between a locksmith and a burglary service.
• A 12-month warranty on our parts and labor.
• An honest "that is a dealer job" when it is one, rather than taking your money and failing in your driveway.

What we will not do

We will not advertise a service-call fee designed to get a technician to your door so the real number can appear later. We will not open a door for someone who cannot show it is theirs. We will not sell you new hardware when your existing locks only need rekeying — and rekeying is the smaller ticket, so we lose money saying that, and we say it anyway.

Licensed, bonded and insured

California license LCO 6801, issued by the California Bureau of Security & Investigative Services. It is printed in the header of every page on this site rather than buried in a footer, because a license number you have to hunt for is not much of a credential. Here is how to verify it — ours or anyone else's.