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Crenshaw Lock

Master Key System in Pomona · 24/7 mobile

Master Key System in Pomona, California

Crenshaw Lock Company designs and installs master-key and restricted-key systems with key control for Pomona properties. We are fully mobile and available 24/7, coming to your building rather than a shop. Call (323) 997-8867 to talk through your doors, your users and how access should be organized.

  • Mobile to your Pomona location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
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A master key system lets one key open many doors while each person carries only the key they need. A property manager might hold a key that opens every unit, a maintenance worker a key for utility rooms and common areas, and a tenant a key for one door. Done well, it cuts down on the ring of keys everyone carries, and it makes it clear who can get in where. Done poorly, it creates security gaps that are hard to see until something goes wrong.

Pomona is a good place to need this kind of planning. The city mixes brick commercial buildings downtown, aluminum-storefront retail along Holt Ave and Garey Ave, mid-century apartment courts and student rentals near Cal Poly Pomona and Western University of Health Sciences, and large event operations around Fairplex. Each of these has a different access problem, so a one-size system rarely fits. A landlord turning over units wants something very different from a vendor securing storage during the fair.

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, and owner and lead technician David Shar built the business around mobile work. We come to your property, look at the hardware you actually have, and design a system around how your people move through the building. We also explain key control, meaning how keys are tracked, who is allowed to request copies, and how to keep a system from drifting out of order over the years.

How it works in Pomona

  1. 1

    Walk the property and list the doors

    We start on site. We look at every door, cylinder and padlock that will be part of the system, noting brand, condition and whether the hardware can be keyed into a master system. Older doors, storefront locks and gates are all considered here.

  2. 2

    Map who needs access to what

    Next we talk through the people involved: owners, managers, maintenance, staff, tenants, vendors. We sketch a hierarchy, such as a grand master, department masters and individual change keys, so each person's access matches their role and nothing more.

  3. 3

    Choose restricted or standard keyways

    For properties that care about unauthorized copying, we discuss restricted keyways, where blanks and duplication are controlled. For smaller setups, a well-organized standard system may be enough. We explain the tradeoffs plainly so you can pick.

  4. 4

    Pin, rekey or replace the cylinders

    We build the system on site. Existing cylinders that can be rekeyed are pinned to the new plan, and any worn or incompatible hardware is replaced. Every lock is tested with the keys that should work and the keys that should not.

  5. 5

    Cut, label and document the keys

    We cut the keys, stamp or label them in a way that does not reveal the door they open, and give you a record of the key hierarchy. This documentation is what lets you add doors or staff later without starting over.

  6. 6

    Set up key control going forward

    We walk you through who may authorize copies, how to log issued keys, and what to do when a key is lost. A system is only as secure as the habits around it, so we leave you with a simple plan you can keep.

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What affects the price

  • The number of doors, cylinders and padlocks that will be part of the system.
  • How many levels the hierarchy needs, from a single master to multiple department masters under a grand master.
  • Whether you choose a restricted keyway with controlled blanks or a standard keyway.
  • The condition and type of existing hardware, including whether older or mismatched locks can be rekeyed or must be replaced.
  • How many keys must be cut and how many people will carry each level of key.
  • Whether the work is a new design or an expansion of an existing system, and whether it must be done outside normal business hours.

Why Pomona chooses us

  • We are fully mobile, so the design happens at your doors with your real hardware in front of us, not from a catalog.
  • Since 1987 we have worked on a wide mix of buildings, from older brass mortise sets to modern commercial cylinders, and we plan around what is actually installed.
  • We build the system around how your people move through the property, rather than handing over a generic template.
  • We leave you with documentation and a simple key-control routine, so the system stays organized after we leave.
  • We are available 24/7, which matters when a lost master key or a staff departure means locks need attention outside business hours.
  • We explain the real tradeoffs between restricted and standard keyways, and we will tell you when a simpler solution is enough.

Master Key System across Pomona

Pomona's building stock makes master key work varied. Downtown Pomona Arts Colony has brick commercial buildings and loft conversions around Antique Row on 2nd Street and near the dA Center for the Arts, where shops, studios and upper-floor units often share entries and need layered access. Along Holt Ave and Garey Ave, aluminum-storefront retail has its own hardware that we plan around. In the 91766 area, mid-century stucco apartment courts are a natural fit for a system where a manager's key opens every unit and each tenant's key opens only one door.

Student housing near Cal Poly Pomona and Western University of Health Sciences has constant turnover. A landlord with several units can have them rekeyed within a master system in one mobile visit, so a departing tenant's key stops working while the manager's key keeps working across the building. In Phillips Ranch and other tract-home areas, the standard residential cylinders are usually easy to bring into a system, which suits small landlords and property managers with several rentals.

Event and institutional sites have their own needs. Fairplex during LA County Fair setup involves vendors, storage containers and padlocks that need to be organized and sometimes cut and replaced quickly, and Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center area offices and clinics often want clear separation between staff and common areas. Whether you are near I-10, SR-60, SR-57 or SR-71, we come to you. Call (323) 997-8867 to talk through your property.

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Other Pomona locksmith services

See all of our Pomona services, or our citywide master key system page.

Master Key System in Pomona — FAQs

What is a master key system?
It is a lock arrangement where each door has its own key, and higher-level keys open groups of doors or all of them. It reduces the number of keys people carry and makes access easier to manage.
Can my existing locks be part of a master system?
Often yes. Many commercial and residential cylinders can be rekeyed into a system, while worn or incompatible hardware may need replacing. We check each door on site. Call (323) 997-8867 to arrange a walkthrough.
What is a restricted key system?
A restricted system uses a keyway whose blanks and duplication are controlled, so keys cannot be copied at an ordinary hardware counter. It is useful where you want a firm record of who has keys.
I manage student rentals near Cal Poly Pomona. Can several units be done in one visit?
Yes. We can rekey multiple units into a master system during one mobile visit, which helps with tenant turnover before move-in. Call (323) 997-8867 to describe your units and timing.
Can you help with padlocks at Fairplex during fair setup?
Yes. We can cut a seized padlock on site and replace it, and we can organize padlocks onto a common key plan if you have many to manage. We are available 24/7.
Do you have a storefront I can visit?
No. Crenshaw Lock Company is fully mobile, so we come to your Pomona property. That lets us see the actual doors and hardware before we design anything.
How do I keep the system secure after installation?
Keep a key log, limit who can authorize copies, and tell us promptly if a key is lost so we can address it. We leave you with documentation to make this simple.
Can a master key system be expanded later?
Usually yes, if the system was planned with room to grow and the records are kept. That is why we document the hierarchy. Call (323) 997-8867 if you want to add doors or staff.
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