Bankstown Locksmith Service

Coming home to a forced door, a broken window or a room that has clearly been searched is deeply unsettling. Even when very little is taken, a break-in can leave you feeling that your home is no longer safe. What you do in the first few hours matters, both for your safety and for any insurance claim or police investigation that follows.

This guide walks through those hours in order. It is written from a locksmith's point of view, so it focuses on doors, locks and keys, but it also covers the steps you should take before a locksmith arrives.

Step 1: Make sure you are safe

If you arrive home and see signs of a break-in, do not go inside. The person responsible could still be there.

Move to a safe place, such as your car, a neighbour's home or the street.
Call 000 if you think someone may still be inside, or if anyone is hurt.
If it is clear that the intruder has gone and no one is in danger, call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 to report the break-in.

Wait for police guidance before going in. Your safety matters far more than anything inside the house.

Step 2: Report it to police

Reporting a break-in creates an official record. You will usually be given an event number. Keep it somewhere safe, because insurers almost always ask for it.

Police may ask you not to touch certain things until they have seen the scene. Follow their advice. Fingerprints and other evidence can be lost if doors, windows and handles are wiped or moved.

Step 3: Record the damage before anything is fixed

Before any repairs start, take clear photos and videos of:

the door, window or lock that was forced;
any damage to frames, strike plates and handles;
rooms that were searched;
the places where missing items were kept.

Write down what you notice while it is fresh: the time you arrived, which door or window was used, and what appears to be missing. This record helps your insurer and saves arguments later.

Ask your locksmith to describe the work clearly on the invoice, for example "replaced forced deadlock on rear door and refitted damaged strike plate". Insurers find this much easier to assess than a vague description.

Step 4: Secure the entry point

Once police have finished, the next priority is making the property lockable again, especially if you need to leave it overnight.

A locksmith can usually:

open a door that has been jammed by the damage;
replace a forced or damaged lock;
refit or replace a bent strike plate;
temporarily secure a door with a split frame until a carpenter can repair it properly.

If a window was broken, you will need a glazier for the glass. A locksmith can still check and replace window locks.

The aim on the day is a door that locks properly. Permanent repairs to frames, doors and windows can follow once you have spoken to your insurer.

Step 5: Think about keys

This step is often missed. Ask yourself whether any keys could have been taken or copied:

spare keys kept in a drawer, a hook by the door or a car;
keys in a stolen bag, wallet or car;
keys to other properties, such as a parent's home or a business.

If there is any chance keys were taken, arrange rekeying of every affected lock. Rekeying changes the inside of the lock so old keys no longer work, without replacing the hardware. Our lock rekeying page explains how it works.

Also think about garage remotes, gate keys and keys to security screen doors. These are easy to forget.

Step 6: Contact your insurer

Most home and contents policies cover some or all of the cost of repairing damage and replacing stolen items, but every policy is different. Call your insurer as soon as you can and ask:

whether locksmith and repair costs are covered;
whether they need a quote before work starts or will accept an invoice afterwards;
whether they have preferred repairers;
what evidence they need from you.

Keep every receipt and invoice. If your insurer asks for a quote, a locksmith can provide one that itemises each part of the work.

Step 7: Look at how they got in

Once the immediate problems are fixed, take a careful look at how the intruder got in. Break-ins usually target the easiest point, not the front door.

Common weak points in Bankstown homes include:

Back and side doors that are not overlooked from the street.
Doors with only a spring latch and no deadlock.
Strike plates fixed with short screws into soft timber.
Sliding doors without an extra lock.
Ground-floor windows with no window locks.
Security screen doors with worn or unlocked locks.

A locksmith can check each of these and tell you which changes would make the biggest difference. Our security locksmith page explains our approach.

Practical upgrades that help

You do not need to turn your home into a fortress. A few well-chosen upgrades often make a property much harder to break into.

A quality deadlock on every external door. A deadlock's bolt cannot be pushed back with a card or thin tool. Our article on deadlocks and deadlatches explains the difference.

Heavier strike plates with longer screws. When a door is kicked, the force goes into the strike and frame. Long screws that reach the wall framing behind the jamb make a big difference.

Window locks on accessible windows. Especially at the back and side of the house. See our window locks page.

Working security screen door locks. A screen door only helps if its lock is used and in good condition.

Better key control. Fewer keys in circulation, all accounted for.

Alarms, cameras and sensor lights can also help, but they are outside a locksmith's work. For those, use a licensed security installer.

Looking after yourself and your household

Break-ins affect people emotionally as well as practically. It is common to feel anxious at home for days or weeks afterwards, especially at night. Children may also be unsettled.

Simple, visible changes, such as new locks and a repaired door, can help people feel safer. Talking to neighbours can also help, both for support and because they may have seen something. If the feelings do not settle, it is worth speaking to your GP.

Helping neighbours

If you live in a street of townhouses or units, let neighbours know what happened, without sharing details that might upset people unnecessarily. They may want to check their own doors and windows, and they may have useful information for police.

In strata buildings, tell the building or strata manager, especially if a common door or gate was involved.

For businesses

If a shop, office or warehouse is broken into, the steps are similar, with a few additions:

Call police and get an event number.
Secure the premises so you can trade or close safely.
Check whether keys, access cards or alarm codes were taken.
Rekey affected locks and change alarm codes.
Check exit doors still open from the inside as required.
Review who holds keys, and whether a simple key plan would help.

Our commercial locksmith page explains how we support businesses after a break-in.

The weeks after a break-in

The first day is about safety and securing the home. The weeks after are about making sure it does not happen again.

Within a week. Complete permanent repairs to doors, frames and windows once your insurer has approved them. Check every other door and window, not just the one that was forced.

Within two weeks. Review who holds keys. If spare keys were kept somewhere obvious, such as a hook by the door, move them. Rekey any lock whose key might have been taken or seen.

Within a month. Decide on longer-term upgrades. A quality deadlock on each external door, heavier strike plates, window locks on accessible windows and working screen door locks are usually the most effective.

Ongoing. Keep a simple record of the incident, repairs and invoices. Talk to neighbours about anything unusual they notice.

It is also worth checking whether your insurer requires particular locks, such as deadlocks on external doors or locks on windows, as a condition of cover. Fitting them now can avoid problems with a future claim.

A simple checklist

Stay outside and stay safe.
Call 000 if anyone may be inside or hurt, otherwise 131 444.
Get a police event number.
Photograph and record all damage.
Make the entry point lockable.
Rekey any locks whose keys may be missing.
Call your insurer and keep every receipt.
Check every door and window for weak points.
Plan any upgrades.
Look after yourself and your household.

What we will and will not do

When we attend after a break-in, we make the entry lockable first, explain clearly what permanent repairs are needed, and give you a cost before starting each part of the work. We will not use the situation to push expensive upgrades you do not need, and we will not claim any product makes a home break-in proof.

The bottom line

After a break-in, safety comes first, then a police report, then a record of the damage. Once police are finished, secure the entry point, rekey any locks whose keys may be missing and contact your insurer. When things settle, look at how the intruder got in and fix the weak points.

If you need a locksmith after a break-in in Bankstown or nearby suburbs, call us on 02 5657 6414, 7 days from 7:00am to midnight. We will make your home lockable again and explain your options plainly. You can also request a quote through our contact page.