Las Vegas Locksmiths Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas locksmiths give tips on staying safe and secure

As a locksmith, what are some of the services you provide?

Julius Wilson: "We're an emergency lockout service. We help people get back into houses and cars they've been locked out of."

Andrew Vallegos: "I open safes, make keys, rekey homes and businesses and duplicate keys."

Rick Laffey: "We do just about everything. We work on access controls, locks, keys and safes."

What's the most common request you get from customers?

Wilson: "Car lockouts."

Vallegos: "Rekeying a home because of a divorce."

Laffey: "Most residential customers call for rekeys."

What's the average fee for customers locked out of their house, their car or their safe?

Wilson: "We offer a flat rate of $40 for lockouts, no matter the time, location or lock. That's for both a home or a car."

Vallegos: "It's just $60 to let them into a home. For cars it's only $45. We quote safes according to the safe itself. It's hard to say a typical price for a safe."

Laffey: "For a house or car lockout the minimum is $70. Safe work is a whole different ball game. You're looking at a cost of $120 to $320 depending on the safe."

Before you start a job, do you require some type of identification?

Wilson: "Yes. Unless they can prove who they are, I won't open it for them."

Vallegos: "Of course. I usually check ID and write down their drivers license number on the invoice."

Laffey: "Absolutely. I ask they show a utility bill or drivers license with the house address."

What happens if the customer's ID is locked up and they can't get to it?

Wilson: "If they say it's in there, I will open it and verify. If they don't show me, I'm going to call the police."

Vallegos: "You have to use common sense. You let them in and get the ID. I'll lock it back up if they can't provide proof."

Laffey: "We have to verify that they're legitimate. We require our technicians to see proof before they leave. If not, we'll call the police."

What's the hardest lock you've ever had to open and how long did it take?

Wilson: "I've had a few dead bolts that took over 30 minutes to open."

Vallegos: "It was a vault on an old bank. It had hardened metal plates we had to drill through - it took four days."

Laffey: "It would have to be a high-security cylinder. Anything can be picked but eventually you reach a point where you give up and start to drill."

Do you have any advice for people who lock themselves out of their cars or homes all the time?

Wilson: "They should get a spare key made and put it in one of those magnetic carriers you can attach to the bottom of your car."

Vallegos: "Make a spare key and leave it with a neighbor you can trust."

Laffey: "Get a duplicate set of keys and keep them in your wallet, purse or with a neighbor."

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