Virginia Beach Locksmiths Virginia Beach, VA

Norfolk locksmiths give tips on staying safe and secure

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

Christina Caylor: "Residential installations, sales, rekeying and master key systems. For automobiles, we make keys, and unlock vehicles. We also do safe work."

Carol Ann Hughes: "Rekeying, lock installation, repair, replacing lost keys and lockout service. We also do security systems."

Donnie Wood: "Lockout service; repairs; rekeying and installation of knobs, deadbolts and security systems."

Are there any types of jobs you won't do?

Caylor: "We don't do security systems, like cameras or things of that nature."

Hughes: "There are some cars that we can't make keys for or open, but that depends on the vehicle."

Wood: "We won't unlock someone's car or house if they can't prove it's theirs. We won't remanufacture a key if it says 'do not duplicate.'"

How do you charge?

Caylor: "It's based on location and time of day. We charge for any parts required. If it's a big job, then we charge by the job."

Hughes: "We charge per job, but there are a lot of different circumstances, such as location or year, make and model of the vehicle."

Wood: "It depends on the type of job, how much time is required and the distance traveled."

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

Caylor: "Automotive and residential varies from $37 to $65. For safes, it can average $65 to $250."

Hughes: "It's typically $45 for a house or car, but for a safe there's no way to say."

Wood: "It depends on the time, location and type of lockout. It can fluctuate between $25 and $75."

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

Caylor: "If the ID is in the vehicle, for example, it shouldn't be a problem as long as it has the correct information."

Hughes: "Then we insist they provide us with ID as soon as the house or car is open. If they can't, we'll put the keys back and call the police."

Wood: "Once we do unlock it, they have to prove they live there or we'll call the authorities."

Do you have any funny or memorable experiences from your job?

Caylor: "I had a dog in the car and every time I'd unlock the car, he'd step on the button."

Hughes: "We run into people who are mentally ill and think the CIA is coming into their house and taking things."

Wood: "We had a lady come into the store and ask if we had handcuff keys. You can imagine the rest of the story."

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