Replacing a damaged lock with an identical one puts you back exactly where you were the night before the break-in. If the cylinder was snapped, the replacement should be anti-snap. If it was drilled, it should have hardened inserts. The repair is the moment to close the specific gap that was used.
Typical range: $175–$1200 CAD. Ranges are typical for the GTA and depend on the door, the hardware and the time of day. We confirm the price before dispatching.
How locks get attacked
- Snapping — the cylinder is gripped and broken at its weakest cross-section, then the mechanism is operated directly. Fast, quiet, and effective against a large proportion of euro-profile cylinders. Anti-snap cylinders are designed to break at a sacrificial point that leaves the lock secure.
- Drilling — a hole is drilled through the pin stack to destroy the shear line. Hardened steel inserts and anti-drill pins defeat this within any realistic timeframe.
- Bumping — a specially cut key struck sharply jolts the pins past the shear line. It defeats many standard pin-tumbler cylinders quickly and leaves almost no trace. High-security cylinders with sidebars resist it.
- Carding or shimming — a thin card slips the latch on a door whose auxiliary deadlocking pin has failed or is misaligned. Extremely common on aluminium storefront doors and entirely preventable.
- Prying — a bar is worked between door and frame to force the latch out of the strike. A latch guard addresses this directly.
Matching the replacement to the attack
We look at the damaged hardware before specifying the replacement, because the hardware tells you what happened. A cleanly snapped cylinder, a drilled pin stack and a pried latch each point to a different fix.
This is a short conversation on site and it is the difference between a repair and an improvement. The hardware costs vary less than people expect — anti-snap cylinders are not dramatically more expensive than the standard ones they replace.
Rekeying the rest
If keys were taken during the break-in, every lock those keys operate has to be rekeyed, not just the door that was forced. This is the step most often skipped, and it leaves the building open to a return visit with a key and no damage at all.
Where there is a master key system involved, a taken key at master level means rekeying everything that key operated. That is an unwelcome cost immediately after a burglary, and it is not optional.
What to keep for your insurer
Keep the damaged hardware. A snapped cylinder or a drilled lock body is physical evidence of forced entry and adjusters do ask to see it. We bag removed components and leave them with you rather than taking them away.
Photograph the damaged lock in place before it is removed, and make sure the invoice describes the damage rather than just listing the replacement part.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to replace every lock after a break-in?
No. Replace what was damaged, and rekey anything that keys may have been taken for. Undamaged locks that no taken key operates can generally stay. What matters more than blanket replacement is fixing the weakness that actually worked, which is often the frame rather than any lock.
What is an anti-snap lock and do I need one?
Snapping breaks a cylinder at its weakest point to expose the mechanism, and it is effective against many standard euro-profile cylinders. An anti-snap cylinder has a deliberate sacrificial break line, so when it is attacked the outer section snaps away and the lock stays secure. If your cylinder was snapped, the replacement should be anti-snap. The cost difference is modest.
Should I upgrade to high-security locks after a burglary?
It depends on how they got in. If the lock was picked, drilled or bumped, then yes, a high-security cylinder addresses it directly. If the frame split or the glass was broken, a better cylinder changes nothing and the money belongs in frame reinforcement or security film. We look at the evidence and tell you where the money actually helps.
They took my keys. What should I do?
Rekey every lock those keys operate, and do it promptly. A burglar with your keys can return without leaving any evidence of entry, which also complicates a subsequent insurance claim. If a master key was taken, everything at that level needs rekeying. Rekeying is fast and inexpensive relative to what it prevents.
Locks After a Break-In across the GTA
We provide lock replacement after a break-in 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
Break-In Repair
Same-day repair and re-securing after a forced entry — doors, frames, locks and hardware, with documentation for your insurance claim.
High-Security Locks
Pick-, drill- and bump-resistant cylinders on patented restricted keyways, for doors where a standard cylinder is not adequate.
Lock Rekeying
Existing cylinders re-pinned to a new key — the fast, inexpensive answer to staff turnover, lost keys and taking over premises.
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.