Lock change after a break-in

After a break-in in the district of Ludwigsburg, the door often no longer closes properly, or the cylinder is damaged. Once the police have finished, we change the cylinder and check whether the lock and the door plate still hold. We tell you the price in advance.

Call 110 first. If possible, do not touch the door, the cylinder or the door plate until the evidence has been secured. Take photos of the damage for the insurance. Only then do we change the cylinder.

In many break-ins at flat doors, the cylinder is attacked. Then a new cylinder is often enough. If the door was levered open, the strike plate, lock or frame may be damaged. That is no longer a standard case. We tell you on the phone what we expect from your description, and on site what is really needed, always with a price before the work.

A security cylinder with drill protection and pull protection, plus a security door plate that covers the cylinder, makes things harder for burglars. The cylinder should barely stick out on the outside. The police crime prevention advice centre (kriminalpolizeiliche Beratungsstelle) gives free advice on further measures.

Cylinder change only, with the door open: Mon–Fri 8 am–6 pm 89 €, Mon–Fri 6 pm–8 am, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays 119 €. This includes travel, fitting and a standard euro profile cylinder. A security cylinder typically costs 25–70 € more. Emergency securing, a new door plate or work on the door frame have no price on the list; for these we tell you a fixed price on the phone in advance.

We check the cylinder, lock, strike plate and door plate. If only the cylinder is broken, we change it. If more is damaged, we tell you in advance what it costs on top, and you decide. At the end, the door locks securely again.

A cylinder that sticks out is often snapped off or pulled out with tools. Security cylinders have a protected breaking point or a reinforced design to prevent this. A security door plate covers the cylinder, so there is hardly anything left to attack.

When a door is levered open, the strike plate in the frame often gives way. Then a new cylinder is not enough. A reinforced strike plate with long screws into the masonry is a separate job with its own fixed price.

You need the police report for your insurance. Depending on your policy, home contents insurance covers stolen items and damage; in rented flats, the door itself is often a matter for the landlord’s buildings insurance. So tell the landlord as well. Keep photos, the police report and invoices together.

After a burglary, many people ask whether a better cylinder makes sense. The standard cylinder costs 89 € or 119 € including fitting. A security cylinder typically costs 25–70 € more. Whether it is worth it depends on how the door was attacked. If the cylinder was snapped, more protection at the cylinder makes sense. If the door was levered open, a better strike plate tends to help more.

In a block of flats, a burglary often affects everyone. Let your neighbours and the property management know. Someone may have seen something, and the front door of the building should be checked. If you notice strangers in the stairwell, it is better to call 110 once too often.

The police offer free advice on burglary protection. If you like, experts will also come to your flat and show you the weak points of your doors and windows. The advice is not tied to any manufacturer. Afterwards, you decide what to put in place.

Cylinder change with the door open: 89 € during the day Mon–Fri, otherwise 119 €, standard cylinder included. Security cylinder: typically 25–70 € extra. Emergency securing, strike plate, door plate and work on the frame: fixed price given on the phone beforehand. That way you know what each job costs before it starts.

If, as a tenant, you had your own better cylinder fitted after the burglary, check with the landlord whether it should stay in when you move out. Often the old cylinder, or one of the same quality, is expected. Keep the invoice.

If the burglar also opened the garage, basement or garden door, check those locks as well. For every door with a euro profile cylinder, we give you a fixed price. Padlocks and garage doors are separate cases, with the price given beforehand.

Photograph the door, cylinder, door plate and frame close up and from further away, plus the room behind. If possible, put an object next to it for scale. Good photos help your insurer more than long descriptions.

Having the door repaired before the police have secured the evidence. Carrying on using the snapped-off cylinder as a makeshift solution. Fitting a cylinder that is too long and sticks out on the outside.

Check your windows and balcony door; they are often attacked too. Get free advice on burglary protection from the police. A security door plate is a useful addition.