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Crenshaw Lock

Automotive Locksmith in Athens · 24/7 mobile

Automotive Locksmith in Athens, California

Crenshaw Lock Company provides 24/7 mobile automotive locksmith service in Athens, California: car lockouts, lost or broken keys, transponder and fob programming, ignition repair, and fleet work. We come to your vehicle, wherever it is parked. Call (323) 997-8867 any hour, day or night.

  • Mobile to your Athens location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
Call (323) 997-8867or tap to call — we answer 24/7
Car door handle and keyhole at dusk
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Getting locked out of a car in Athens rarely happens at a convenient moment. It happens in the parking lot at Athens Park, on a side street off Vermont Avenue, at a gas station along Imperial Highway, or in a driveway just before the morning commute onto the I-110 or I-105. Crenshaw Lock Company is fully mobile, so we bring the tools to you rather than asking you to tow a car to a shop. There is no storefront to visit; the work happens where your vehicle sits.

Our automotive work covers cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs and fleet vehicles. That includes opening locked doors without damage, cutting and programming replacement keys when every key is lost, extracting broken keys from doors and ignitions, repairing worn or sticking ignition cylinders, and programming transponder keys and remote fobs. Owner and lead technician David Shar has been serving Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, and that long experience with older and newer vehicles alike shapes how we approach each job.

Athens is a working neighborhood where many people drive older vehicles that have seen years of use. Worn keys, tired ignition tumblers and cracked fob cases are common, and so are work trucks and vans that need to stay on the road. We try to explain what is wrong, what the realistic options are, and what affects the cost before any work begins, so you can decide calmly even if the day has not gone well.

How it works in Athens

  1. 1

    Call and describe the situation

    Call (323) 997-8867 and tell us the make, model, and approximate year of the vehicle, where it is parked, and what happened: keys locked inside, keys lost, a key snapped off, or a fob that stopped working. We are available 24/7, and those details help us bring the right equipment.

  2. 2

    We travel to your vehicle

    Because we are fully mobile, we meet you at the vehicle, whether that is a driveway in West Athens, a street near Athens Park, or a lot off Figueroa. We do not make promises about arrival times, but we will stay in touch about timing as we head your way.

  3. 3

    Verify ownership

    Before opening or making a key for any vehicle, we ask for reasonable proof that it is yours, such as ID matching the registration or insurance paperwork. This protects you and anyone else whose car we might otherwise open for the wrong person.

  4. 4

    Assess and explain the options

    We look at the lock, the key type, and the vehicle's security system, then walk you through what is possible. A simple lockout is different from an all-keys-lost situation on a vehicle with an immobilizer, and we will say which one you are dealing with and what it affects.

  5. 5

    Do the work with care

    We open doors using methods designed to avoid scratching paint or damaging weatherstripping, cut keys by code or by hand as appropriate, and program transponders and fobs on site. Broken key extraction and ignition repair are done carefully to avoid further damage.

  6. 6

    Test everything before we leave

    We try each key in the doors, trunk, and ignition, confirm the vehicle starts, and check that remote functions work. If you want a spare key made while we are there, that is the cheapest time to do it.

Need automotive locksmith in Athens?

24/7 Mobile Locksmith across Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County. We answer 24/7.

Call (323) 997-8867

What affects the price

  • Type of service: opening a locked door, cutting a key, programming a transponder, and repairing an ignition are very different jobs with different labor and parts.
  • Vehicle make, model, and year: newer or European vehicles with immobilizers and encrypted keys usually require more specialized equipment and programming than older vehicles with basic keys.
  • Key or fob type: a basic metal key, a transponder key, a remote head key, and a smart proximity fob all cost different amounts to supply and program.
  • All keys lost versus a spare: creating a first key from scratch when none exists generally takes more work than duplicating an existing key.
  • Time of day and location: after-hours, holiday, or hard-to-reach calls can affect the total, since we operate 24/7 and travel to you.
  • Condition of the lock or ignition: a worn, damaged, or broken-key situation may require extraction or part replacement in addition to the key itself.

Why Athens chooses us

  • Fully mobile only: we come to your vehicle instead of requiring a tow, which can save you the hassle of moving a car with no working key.
  • Serving the Los Angeles area since 1987, with owner and lead technician David Shar bringing decades of hands-on experience to older and newer vehicles.
  • One service for many vehicle types: cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs, and fleets, so a family sedan and a work van can be handled by the same company.
  • Clear explanation before work starts: we tell you what the job involves and what affects the price, rather than surprising you afterward.
  • Damage-conscious methods: we aim to open vehicles without harming paint, glass, or door seals, and to repair rather than replace when repair makes sense.
  • Also available for your home and business: the same crew can rekey a rental, replace deadbolts, or service a roll-up gate, so you have one number to call.

Automotive Locksmith across Athens

Athens sits in unincorporated Los Angeles County between the I-110 Harbor Freeway and the I-105 Century Freeway, and that geography shapes a lot of our automotive calls. Drivers commute daily along Imperial Highway, Vermont Avenue, Broadway, and Figueroa Street, and cars are parked on residential streets and in driveways of the older bungalows and duplexes that fill the Athens Park neighborhood and West Athens. Many vehicles spend their nights curbside, which means spare keys get lost, fobs get worn out, and a locked-in set of keys is an everyday possibility.

We serve the ZIP codes 90044, 90047, and 90061, including customers near Athens Park Community Regional Park at 12603 S Broadway, where a family outing can end with keys left in the car. We also help small business owners along the Broadway and Figueroa commercial strips who rely on a truck or van for work and cannot afford a long wait without a working key. Vehicles that run on older keys and aging ignitions are common here, and we are used to working on them.

Because we are mobile, we are not a place you drive to. If your car is stuck in a parking lot off the Harbor Freeway corridor or stranded on a quiet street in West Athens, call (323) 997-8867 and we will come to you. The same team also handles home deadbolts after a break-in, rekeys for rental turnover, and commercial roll-up gate service in Athens, if your needs go beyond the vehicle.

Locked out or need a locksmith now?

24/7 Mobile Locksmith across Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County. We answer 24/7.

Call (323) 997-8867

Other Athens locksmith services

See all of our Athens services, or our citywide automotive locksmith page.

Automotive Locksmith in Athens — FAQs

Do you really come to me in Athens, or do I have to bring the car somewhere?
We are fully mobile and have no storefront, so we come to your vehicle. Whether it is parked near Athens Park, in West Athens, or along Imperial Highway, call (323) 997-8867 and tell us where you are.
Are you available at night and on weekends?
Yes. Crenshaw Lock Company operates 24/7, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Call (323) 997-8867 whenever you need help. We do not quote arrival times in advance, but we will keep you updated.
Can you make a new key if I have lost all my keys?
In most cases yes. We can cut and program a replacement key on site once we verify ownership, though newer vehicles with immobilizers take more work than older ones. Describe your vehicle when you call so we can plan accordingly.
Will opening my car damage the door or paint?
We use methods designed to avoid damage to paint, glass, and weatherstripping. Every vehicle is different, and we will tell you if anything about your car's design makes a particular method risky before we begin.
Can you program a key fob or transponder key?
Yes, we program transponder keys and remote fobs for many makes and models. Some vehicles have special requirements, so give us the make, model, and year when you call (323) 997-8867 and we will confirm what is possible.
What if my key broke off in the door or ignition?
We can extract broken key pieces from doors and ignitions and, if needed, cut a new key. If the ignition cylinder is worn or damaged, we can often repair it. Avoid forcing the key, since that can make removal harder.
Do you service trucks, motorcycles, RVs, and work fleets?
Yes. We handle cars, trucks, motorcycles, RVs, and fleet vehicles. If you run a small business near Broadway or Figueroa with multiple vehicles, ask us about keeping spare keys on hand.
How is the price determined?
It depends on the service, your vehicle's make and year, the type of key or fob, whether all keys are lost, and the time and location of the call. We explain what applies to your situation before starting work.
DS

Reviewed by David Shar — Owner & Lead Technician

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles & Ventura County since 1987.

Last updated 2026-10-12.

Call (323) 997-8867 · Open 24/7