Emergency Locksmith in Chicago, IL

Safety first

Some situations call for 911 before any locksmith:

• A child, an older adult or anyone who needs care is locked inside, or you cannot reach someone who is.
• You smell gas or smoke.
• You think a break-in just happened. Stay outside, call the police and let them clear the home first. Securing the door comes after.

What counts as urgent in Chicago conditions

NOAA records that the February 2011 storm dropped 20.2 inches of snow at O'Hare, the city's third-largest total in 120 years of records, with gusts over 60 mph. Standing outside a locked door in weather like that is urgent in a way a mild-day lockout is not. Get out of the wind first: a neighbor, a lobby, a shop or a warm car. Extreme heat belongs on the same list when someone who cannot tolerate it is stuck outdoors or inside a locked car.

A damaged door after a break-in

Call the police first and wait for their all-clear. Photograph the damage once police say it is safe. A door that will not latch can blow open in strong gusts, so it needs securing, and it is worth asking about rekeying or replacing the lock. Renters should tell the landlord or property manager, since the door may be theirs to repair.

If the danger is at home

If you are in danger, call 911. Illinois's Safe Homes Act (765 ILCS 750/20) gives renters a written-request route to new locks in cases of a credible, imminent threat of domestic or sexual violence at the home; the lock rekeying page summarizes it. This is general information, not legal advice.

What to send in an emergency request

1. Where you are: the community area, nearest cross streets and which door or car.
2. What happened: locked out, key broken, door damaged, keys lost.
3. Who is at risk: a child, older adult or pet, and whether 911 has been called.
4. For a break-in, whether police have been there and have finished.
5. A phone number where you can be reached.

The emergency locksmith page explains the service. For a locked home or car, see house lockout and car lockout, and the Chicago page for housing and parking background.