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Crenshaw Lock

Master Key System in Winnetka · 24/7 mobile

Master Key System Installation in Winnetka, CA

Crenshaw Lock Company designs and installs master key and restricted-key systems with real key control for Winnetka properties. We are fully mobile and available 24/7, coming to your building with the tools to do the work on site. Call (323) 997-8867 to plan a system.

  • Mobile to your Winnetka location
  • Available 24/7
  • Price quoted before we start
Call (323) 997-8867or tap to call — we answer 24/7
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A master key system lets one key open many doors while each tenant, employee or department still has a key that opens only their own. Done well, it ends the ring of twenty keys on a manager's belt. Done badly, it creates a security hole that is hard to see until something goes missing. In Winnetka, where so many buildings have been rekeyed over decades of tenant turnover, the difference matters.

Much of the community is made up of mid-century and 1970s-80s apartment complexes and condominiums, with dense tracts of 1950s-60s single-family homes in between. Property managers along Vanowen St, Sherman Way and De Soto Ave often inherit a mix of keys nobody can fully account for: old unit locks, builder-grade hardware, mailbox locks and common-entry doors that were never planned together. A proper system replaces that patchwork with a documented structure.

Crenshaw Lock Company has served Greater Los Angeles and Ventura County since 1987, led by owner and lead technician David Shar. We are mobile only, so there is no storefront to visit. We come to your property, walk the doors with you, and build a system around how the building is really used, not a one-size-fits-all chart.

How it works in Winnetka

  1. 1

    Walk the property and list every door

    We start on site, counting unit doors, common-entry doors, laundry and trash rooms, mailbox areas, maintenance closets and offices. We note the hardware already installed and which locks can be reused or must be replaced.

  2. 2

    Design the key hierarchy

    Together we decide who needs access to what: a grand master for ownership, masters for managers or maintenance, and individual change keys for each unit or tenant. We also discuss how many levels the building truly needs, since more levels can reduce security.

  3. 3

    Choose key control and restriction level

    You pick between standard keyways and restricted keyways, where duplication requires authorization. For rental properties with frequent move-outs, restricted keys help stop the quiet copying that undermines every rekey.

  4. 4

    Install and pin the locks

    We bring the hardware and pinning supplies to your building, install or rekey cylinders, and set them to the agreed hierarchy. Each lock is tested with its own key and with every master above it.

  5. 5

    Test, label and hand over records

    We check that no key opens a door it should not, then provide a clear key schedule so you know which key does what. Keep it secured; it is the map of your whole building.

  6. 6

    Plan for future turnover

    When a tenant leaves, a single unit can be rekeyed within the system without disturbing the rest. We explain how to handle lost keys, new hires and expansion so the system stays organized.

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What affects the price

  • The number of doors and cylinders included, including unit doors, common areas and mailbox or utility locks.
  • How many levels the hierarchy has, since a simple master-and-change setup is less involved than a multi-tier system.
  • Whether existing locks can be rekeyed into the system or builder-grade hardware needs replacing with better cylinders.
  • The key control level you select, from standard keyways to restricted keyways with authorization-only duplication.
  • How many keys you need cut for each level, such as managers, maintenance staff and tenants.
  • The scheduling of the job, including after-hours or phased work to avoid disrupting occupied units.

Why Winnetka chooses us

  • Fully mobile service: we work at your building, door by door, rather than asking you to bring hardware anywhere.
  • Available 24/7, which helps when a tenant issue or a security concern cannot wait for a weekday appointment.
  • Family-run since 1987 under David Shar, with decades of experience in the kinds of older Valley buildings Winnetka is full of.
  • We explain tradeoffs honestly, including when a simpler system is more secure than an elaborate one.
  • We hand over a documented key schedule so you are never dependent on memory or guesswork about who holds what.

Master Key System across Winnetka

Winnetka's housing is a useful case study for master key planning. Around the Winnetka Ave and Sherman Way residential core, you find 1950s-60s tract homes with original locksets now wearing out, alongside small apartment buildings and condos. Along the Vanowen St multifamily corridor and the De Soto Ave apartment district, larger 1970s-80s complexes run on constant tenant turnover, which makes key control a daily concern rather than a one-time project.

Typical calls in the 91306 area include a property manager rekeying several units off Vanowen after multiple move-outs, a condo owner whose unit deadbolt needs to be matched to the building's common-entry key, and a tract home owner replacing a failing original lockset. Each one is a small piece of the same problem: making keys match the people who should have them.

We work throughout the neighborhood, from properties near the Winnetka Recreation Center and Prairie Street Elementary to businesses around Winnetka Bowl on Vanowen, the retail on the former drive-in site, and the Roscoe Blvd, Victory Blvd and Saticoy St corridors. Easy access to Winnetka Ave, Mason Ave and US-101 means we can reach most buildings here without trouble. Call (323) 997-8867 to talk through your property.

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Other Winnetka locksmith services

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

Master Key System in Winnetka — FAQs

What is a master key system?
It is a lock arrangement where each door has its own key, but higher-level keys can open multiple doors. A property manager might hold a master that opens every unit while each tenant's key opens only theirs. Call (323) 997-8867 to discuss options.
Is a master key system a good fit for a Winnetka apartment complex?
Often yes, especially with frequent turnover. A system lets you rekey a single unit without touching the others and keeps staff access organized. We look at your building before recommending the size and structure.
Can you use my existing locks?
Sometimes. Many quality cylinders can be rekeyed into a system, but worn or builder-grade hardware may be better replaced. We assess this during the on-site walkthrough.
What are restricted keys and do I need them?
Restricted keys use keyways where duplication is controlled, so copies cannot simply be made at any hardware counter. They are worth considering for rentals and businesses where lost or copied keys are a concern.
Can a condo unit be matched to the building's common-entry key?
Yes, that is a common request. We can rekey the unit deadbolt so one key works for the unit and the shared entry, subject to what the HOA or property manager permits. Call (323) 997-8867 to ask.
Do you come to me, or do I visit a shop?
We are fully mobile with no storefront. We come to your property in Winnetka, assess the doors, and do the installation on site.
What happens when a tenant moves out or a key is lost?
Within a well-planned system, we can rekey only the affected lock or locks, leaving the rest alone. Your key schedule shows what is affected, which keeps the process simple.
Are you available outside business hours?
We are available 24/7. Larger system installs are usually planned, but we can respond to urgent needs such as a compromised master key.
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