In short:
- Safety first. Then report to SAPS, get a reference number, photograph the damage and tell your insurer before repairs start.
- A lock that still turns may still be weakened. Look at the cylinder, lock body, handles, strike plate, frame and door, not just whether the key works.
- If keys, remotes or tags were taken, undamaged locks are compromised too.
- Securing the door tonight and choosing a permanent solution later are separate decisions. Your insurer may need to approve the second.
- A new lock in a split frame is still weak. Frame damage may need a carpenter or door installer as well.
First steps: safety, SAPS, photos and your insurer
When you find marks on a door or a lock that won't behave after an attempted break-in, the urge is to fix it straight away. A few steps first will protect you and make an insurance claim simpler.
- Make sure everyone is safe. If you think someone may still be on the property, don't go in. Move somewhere safe and call SAPS on 10111 or your armed-response company.
- Report it to SAPS. You can report a crime at any police station. You'll give a statement, and the case is registered and given a reference number. Keep that number: you'll need it for any follow-up, and insurers commonly ask for it.
- Leave tampered items alone and take photos. The police may want to look for fingerprints or footprints, so avoid handling the damaged areas. Photograph the door, lock, handles, frame and anything else that was forced, from both sides and close up, before anything is repaired.
- Contact your insurer. Check what they need before permanent repairs start. Some insurers send an assessor; most want photos, the SAPS reference number and an itemised quote or invoice.
- Then have the locks assessed and the property secured, keeping a record of what emergency repairs cost.
Even if nothing was taken and nobody got in, reporting the attempt is worthwhile. It creates a record, and an insurer may ask for one when you claim for the damaged lock or door.
Signs of attempted forced entry, part by part
You don't need to work out how someone tried to get in. You only need to notice what has changed. Compare the damaged door with another external door that wasn't touched, and look for the signs below.
| Part | Signs to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Cylinder (the part the key goes into) | Fresh scratches or gouges around the keyhole; holes or missing pieces in the face; a cylinder that sticks out further than before, is loose, turns in its housing or is missing; a key that won't go in or feels gritty | A damaged cylinder may stop working without warning, or may no longer resist a second attempt. It's usually replaced. |
| Lever mortice lock (set into the door edge) | Bent or scored bolt; bolt that won't throw fully or retract smoothly; faceplate loose, bent or pulled out of the door edge; splintered timber around the lock | A bent bolt or cracked lock case is weakened even if it still locks. |
| Handles, roses and escutcheons | Bent or drooping lever; plate twisted, cracked or pulled away from the door; missing or loosened screws | Damage here can affect the lock mechanism behind it and expose the cylinder. |
| Strike plate or keep (on the frame) | Bent plate; screws pulled partly out; the plate pushed into or away from the frame; deep marks where the bolt sits | The bolt is only as strong as what it locks into. |
| Door frame | Splits or cracks near the strike; frame moved away from the wall; cracked plaster or paint lines; the door now catching or needing to be pushed to lock | A new lock in a split frame is still weak. This may need carpentry. |
| Door leaf and glass | Dents or tool marks near the lock; split or bulging panels; cracked glass near the handle | The door may need repair or replacement as well as the lock. |
| Multipoint doors (aluminium or uPVC) | Handle that no longer lifts or feels different; hooks or rollers along the edge bent; door no longer pulls in tight | Part of the mechanism may be damaged even if the door appears to lock. |
| Security gate in front of the door | Bent bars or frame; damaged padlock or gate lock; hinges or brackets loosened | Describe gate damage when you call, so you know whether it's locksmith work or work for a gate or burglar-bar installer. |
Check the hinge side of the door too, and the other doors and windows. Someone who failed at one door may have tried another.
Damage that's easy to miss
A lock can pass the "does the key still work?" test and still be compromised. Watch for these:
- The key now needs jiggling, or the lock feels stiffer or rougher than before.
- The door only locks if you push, pull or lift it, which can mean the frame or strike has moved. See why a door locks when open but not when closed.
- The key turns further than it used to, or turns without the bolt moving. See what it means when a key turns but the door won't unlock.
- Screws in the faceplate, handle or strike are loose or missing.
Also ask whether anything that gives access was taken: spare keys, a bag with keys in it, gate remotes, estate tags or access cards. If so, the locks those keys fit are compromised even though they're undamaged, and the access devices should be cancelled with your estate, body corporate or building management.
What not to do while you wait
- Don't keep forcing a damaged lock. If it's binding, it can jam completely, possibly with the door locked or unlocked at the wrong moment.
- Don't hammer bent parts straight or try to refit a cylinder that has come loose. It can hide damage and make the lock harder to remove cleanly.
- Don't spray oil into a damaged lock in the hope of freeing it. It won't fix broken or bent parts and can carry debris further in.
- Don't throw away damaged parts. Your insurer or the police may want to see them. Keep them in a bag, labelled with the door they came from.
Temporary versus permanent securing
Making the door secure tonight and choosing the long-term solution are two decisions. Separating them lets you deal with the immediate risk without rushing into a choice your insurer might not cover.
| Option | When it fits | Points to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Keep the damaged door closed and fastened from inside, and use another door | The door still closes properly and has another sound lock or bolt on the inside | Only a stop-gap. Make sure everyone in the house still has a safe way out. |
| Interim replacement of the damaged cylinder or lock | The frame and door are sound; you're waiting for an insurance decision on an upgrade | Ask the locksmith to describe it on the invoice as interim work, and keep the damaged parts. |
| Permanent replacement now | The frame and door are sound and you know what you want, or the insurer has agreed | Often the simplest route. Check that the new lock suits the door: see choosing a replacement lock that fits the existing door. |
| Upgrade to a higher security level | The old lock was basic, or your insurer sets a minimum standard | Ask the insurer what they require and what they'll pay towards. Higher-security cylinders and locks cost more. |
| Carpentry or door repair first | The frame is split, the door is damaged, or the strike can't be fixed firmly | A locksmith can't make a weak frame strong. A carpenter or door installer may be needed before or alongside the lock work. |
Our break-in lock repair service covers assessing the damage, securing the door and replacing locks on site.
Repair or replace after a break-in?
After forced entry, the balance usually tips towards replacement. Bent bolts, cracked cases and damaged cylinders are hard to restore to their original strength, and repairing them can cost close to a new part. Repair is still sensible for some damage: a strike plate that only needs refitting into sound timber, a handle that can be replaced on an undamaged lock, or a cylinder that can be swapped without changing the lock body.
Replacement is also the obvious choice when keys were stolen, when the lock was old and basic to begin with, or when parts for it are no longer available. For the general principles, see lock repair versus replacement.
What to tell the locksmith, and paperwork for your insurer
When you call, these details help the technician bring suitable parts and give you an accurate quote:
- Which doors and gates are affected, and whether each can still be closed and locked.
- Photos of each damaged lock from both sides, the door edge and the frame.
- The lock brand and type, if you can see it.
- Whether keys, remotes or tags were taken.
- What your insurer has asked for, such as an itemised quotation or a description of the damage.
- Access arrangements for your estate, complex or building.
Insurers commonly ask for photos of the forced entry, the SAPS reference number and an itemised quotation or invoice. Ask for the paperwork to describe the damage found and the work done on each door. Some policies also have security conditions, so check your policy wording when choosing replacement locks.
We're a mobile locksmith in Sandton, so the assessment happens at your door. Call-out: R250 call-out fee. Quotations: The technician assesses the job on site and gives you the price before any work starts. Nothing is done until you agree.
Questions
The lock still works after the attempt. Does it need replacing?
Not always. If the cylinder, bolt, strike and frame show no damage and the lock feels exactly as it did before, it may be fine. If there are marks on the cylinder, the bolt or strike is bent, or the lock feels different, have it assessed. Locks can be weakened without failing straight away.
Should I wait for my insurer before having the door secured?
Ask your insurer straight away what they need. If you can't wait safely, have the door made secure with interim work, take photos first, keep the damaged parts and keep the invoice.
Can a locksmith fix a split door frame?
Refitting a strike plate properly is part of fitting a lock. A frame that is split or has moved away from the wall usually needs a carpenter or door installer. A locksmith should tell you if that's the case.
Need a locksmith to look at it?
If this hasn't solved the problem, our break-in lock repairs service covers it. We're a mobile locksmith in Sandton, so we come to your door.
Sources and further reading
- SAPS: 10111 emergency call centre — 10111 is the SAPS emergency number
- Vuk'uzenzele (Government Communication and Information System): The police need your help — how to report a crime — crimes can be reported at any police station; statements; the reference number used for all enquiries
- Dialdirect: How to file a home insurance claim after a burglary — safety first, police case number, leave tampered items alone, photos, emergency repairs to doors and locks with records kept
- MiWay: Frequently asked questions regarding household insurance claims — SAPS case number, photos of damage or forced entry, and policy security conditions