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Crenshaw Lock

High Security Locks in San Marino · 24/7 mobile

High Security Locks in San Marino, California

Crenshaw Lock Company installs pick-, bump- and drill-resistant high security locks and keys throughout San Marino, California. We are a 24/7, fully mobile locksmith and come to your property, so there is no storefront visit. Call (323) 997-8867 to talk through your doors and your goals.

  • Mobile to your San Marino location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
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High-security lock cylinder with a dimple key
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San Marino is a quiet, almost entirely residential city, and many of its homes are large 1920s and 1930s period-revival estates: Spanish Colonial, Tudor and Georgian houses on generous lots. Those houses often have solid-wood doors and original mortise hardware that deserves respect. A high security lock upgrade here is rarely about swapping in whatever fits. It is about adding real protection without damaging the character of the door.

High security locks differ from standard cylinders in how they resist the common ways locks are defeated. Better designs use tighter tolerances, security pins and hardened components to resist picking, bumping and drilling, and many use restricted keys that cannot be casually copied at a hardware counter. For an owner with a large property, household staff, contractors, or a safe inside, key control is often just as important as the lock body itself.

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 service. We bring the tools and cylinders to your door, look at what is already installed, and recommend an approach that fits the house, whether that means a new deadbolt, a high security cylinder in existing mortise hardware, or a full-property rekey to a single protected key.

How it works in San Marino

  1. 1

    Walk the property and assess the doors

    We start by looking at every exterior entry: front and rear doors, garage and service doors, and side or garden gates. We note the door material, the hardware type, whether it is original mortise work or a modern bore-in lockset, and how the doors have been used. That tells us where the weak points are.

  2. 2

    Talk through who needs access

    Key control matters on larger properties. We ask about family, household staff, landscapers, contractors and anyone who has held keys in the past. This shapes whether you need a restricted keyway, a single key for the whole property, or separate keys with different levels of access.

  3. 3

    Choose hardware that suits the house

    For period homes we can often keep the vintage brass or original mortise body and fit a high security cylinder inside it, rather than replacing the hardware. Where a new deadbolt makes more sense, we match the finish and style as closely as we can so the door still looks right.

  4. 4

    Install and fit carefully

    We install on-site, checking strike plates, door alignment and bolt throw so the lock works smoothly and the security is not undermined by a loose frame or a short screw. On solid-wood doors we work cleanly to avoid unnecessary damage to the wood.

  5. 5

    Key setup and testing

    We set up your keys, rekey existing locks to match where appropriate, and test every cylinder from both sides. We then explain how to order additional keys so the restricted system stays under your control.

  6. 6

    Review before we leave

    We walk the finished doors with you, point out anything worth addressing later such as a worn frame or a gate latch, and answer questions. You are never pushed toward upgrades you do not need.

Need high security locks in San Marino?

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

Call (323) 997-8867

What affects the price

  • The number of doors, gates and cylinders being upgraded, since a single front door is a very different job from a whole-property project.
  • The grade and brand of high security cylinder or deadbolt, including whether it uses a restricted keyway with patent-protected key control.
  • Whether the existing hardware is original mortise work that can be retained and fitted with a new cylinder, or needs to be replaced.
  • Door and frame condition, including solid-wood doors that may need careful fitting or reinforcement of strike plates and jambs.
  • How many keys you need, and whether everything is being re-pinned to a single key across doors and gates.
  • Finish matching for visible hardware, and whether the job is scheduled in advance or requested after hours.

Why San Marino chooses us

  • Fully mobile service: we come to your property across San Marino and handle the work on-site, with no shop to visit.
  • Experience with older hardware: we can service and rekey original mortise locks and keep vintage brass in place where it is practical.
  • Available 24/7, so a lost key, staff change or break-in concern does not have to wait for business hours.
  • Key-control focus: we help you think through who holds keys, not just which lock to buy.
  • Family-run and in business since 1987 under owner and lead tech David Shar, with straightforward recommendations rather than upselling.
  • Whole-property thinking: we address doors, side gates and garden gates together so one weak entry does not undo the rest.

High Security Locks across San Marino

San Marino's housing stock shapes almost every high security job we see. Around the Huntington Library district, many homes date from the 1920s and 1930s and still carry original mortise hardware and heavy solid-wood doors. Owners there often want to keep that vintage brass while adding a high security cylinder, and that is work we can do at the door without removing the character that makes the house what it is.

In the Lacy Park neighborhood, properties tend to be large, with several exterior doors, side entrances and garden gates. A common scenario is a whole-house rekey combined with a safe-grade deadbolt upgrade after a change in household staff, so that old keys no longer work anywhere on the property. Another is a lost key that prompts re-pinning every exterior door and gate to a single new key. We handle both on-site in ZIP code 91108, whether you are off Huntington Drive, Sierra Madre Boulevard, San Gabriel Boulevard, Del Mar Avenue or Los Robles Avenue.

The modest commercial area along Huntington Drive and Mission Street, in the Mission District, also has small businesses that want better key control on their doors. Whatever the property, the approach is the same: look at what is there, respect the building, and fit security that suits it. Call (323) 997-8867 any time, day or night.

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Other San Marino locksmith services

See all of our San Marino services, or our citywide high security locks page.

High Security Locks in San Marino — FAQs

What makes a lock "high security"?
High security locks are built to resist picking, bumping and drilling through tighter tolerances, security pins and hardened parts. Many also use restricted keys that cannot be duplicated freely. Call (323) 997-8867 and we can explain which type fits your doors.
Can you keep the original mortise hardware on my older San Marino home?
Often, yes. Many original mortise locks can be serviced, and in many cases a high security cylinder can be fitted so the vintage brass stays on the door. We check the lock body on-site to confirm what is practical.
Will installing a high security lock damage my solid-wood door?
We work to minimize changes to the door. Where a cylinder swap is possible, little or no alteration is needed. If a new deadbolt requires boring or fitting, we do it carefully and explain beforehand.
Can all my doors and gates be set to one key?
Yes. We can rekey or replace cylinders on exterior doors and side or garden gates so a single key operates everything. It is a popular choice on larger properties after a lost key.
What should I do after changing household staff or contractors?
Rekeying or upgrading the exterior locks makes old keys useless. A restricted-key system also limits unauthorized copies. Call (323) 997-8867 and we can discuss options for your property.
Do you come to me, or do I visit a shop?
We are fully mobile and have no storefront. We bring the equipment to your home or business in San Marino and complete the work there.
Are you available outside normal hours?
Yes, we operate 24/7. If you have a lost key or a security concern late at night, call (323) 997-8867.
Can high security locks work with a safe or smart-lock setup?
They can complement one another. Many owners pair a high security deadbolt with a discreet smart lock or a residential safe. We can talk through how the pieces fit together and what suits your doors.
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