Front door kicked in, frame split
Boot to the strike plate, the timber gave way before the lock did. The lock itself is often fine. The frame is the failure point and the bit that needs the proper repair.
Service · SW19 · same-day · boarding up + temporary doors
Burglary repair, boarding up and temporary door fitting in Wimbledon
Front door kicked, UPVC smashed, cylinder snapped, glass panel gone. Same-day burglary repair across Wimbledon SW19, with emergency boarding up tonight and a temporary door fitted where the slab is past saving. We arrive within about 30 minutes, work to BS3621 and TS007 3-star spec so your insurer's renewal terms are met on the same visit, and the paperwork your insurer actually wants lands in your inbox the same night. £5m public liability, DBS-checked locksmiths, twelve years dispatching from Wimbledon.
★★★★★
~30 min ETAacross most of SW19
Boarding + temp dooron every van, every visit
BS3621 + TS007 3-starspec for insurer renewal
Insurer-ready paperworkitemised, with kitemark certs
Where we come in
The usual order on a Wimbledon break-in is: phone the police, phone us. The police photograph what they need for the crime report, hand you a reference number, and the door becomes yours to deal with. That is where we arrive. Same-day burglary repair in Wimbledon is almost always two visits. The first is tonight, the priority is making the property secure enough to sleep in: emergency boarding up of a smashed glass panel, a temporary door slab where the original is past saving, a replacement cylinder so the snapped one cannot be reused, a working latch on the front so the door closes again. The second is the proper repair, in daylight, often the next day: matched frame timber, the right door slab, cut-to-size glass, BS3621 mortice locks on timber and TS007 3-star anti-snap cylinders on UPVC and composite. We are happy to do both visits as one where the damage allows. We're equally happy to come back the following day if the right materials need ordering. One engineer, one itemised invoice across both visits.
Boarding up tonight, temporary door tomorrow
Three tiers of tonight-work, depending on what the burglar left behind. Tier one is emergency boarding up, the bread-and-butter of post-burglary repair in Wimbledon. Smashed glass beside the front door, side-light, door-light, or a window broken to reach a handle. We cut 18mm structural plywood to the opening, fix it to the timber surround with proper structural screws (not the nails that cheaper boarding-up operators use), and where you still need to come and go we cut a sized access panel and fit a hasp, staple and padlock so the boarding actually works as a door for the next 24 hours. To be clear about what the boarding is for: it secures the property well enough to withstand another attempt, and buys you time to arrange the permanent repair. It is not engineered to last weeks and we do not put a warranty on it. Tier two is a UPVC or composite door with a snapped cylinder or a forced multi-point gearbox, where the door slab and frame are intact. We replace the cylinder with a TS007 3-star unit (Avocet ABS, Yale Platinum or MUL-T-LOCK to match your spec), reset or replace the multi-point, and the door locks again before we leave. Those replacement parts carry the standard 1-year warranty. Tier three is a door slab that has been kicked through, split, or punched: we fit a temporary stock-timber or stock-composite door slab to the existing frame so the property locks and operates normally while the matched permanent slab is ordered. The temporary slab is also temporary by design, no warranty on it, again secure enough to withstand another attempt and to give you the days you need to sort the permanent replacement. Almost every UK home insurance policy pays for both the temporary slab and the permanent replacement on the same claim. Commercial shopfronts get the same structural-plywood boarding overnight, secured for the next daylight glass and frame visit, on the same no-warranty-on-the-temporary-work basis.
The Wimbledon burglary repairs we see most weeks
Most callers find their exact situation in this grid. If you recognise yours, you are in good hands and we have seen it many times. Pick up the phone and we'll be on the way before you finish describing the damage.
UPVC cylinder snapped
Classic snap attack. Two-minute job for someone with a Spider tool on a 1-star cylinder. We replace with TS007 3-star (Avocet ABS or Yale Platinum) tonight, defeats the same attack on the next try.
Glass panel smashed beside the front door
Reached through, opened from inside. We board the panel tonight with 18mm structural plywood and a cut access where you still need to use the door, return with cut-to-size glass on the next daylight visit.
Back door forced, multi-point gearbox jammed
Pry bar at the handle, the gearbox bent against the keep. The mechanism is replaceable. We carry the common Fuhr and Lockmaster gearboxes for SW19 stock.
Attempted entry only, no entry made
Tool marks at the cylinder, fresh damage at the handle, but they gave up. The lock still works but the spec was clearly inviting. Time to upgrade, the next attempt could go differently.
Back from holiday, find a break-in
Walked in through an unlocked door because the latch was broken from the inside. We make the property secure tonight, photograph everything for the insurer, and book the matching repair for tomorrow.
Police left a reference, door is now yours
Forensics done, statements taken, the officer is gone. You're left with a damaged door, a crime reference, and no idea what to do next. This is when most people call us.
Late-night break-in, property exposed
Window or door open to the street, anyone could walk in. We get to most of SW19 inside 30 minutes for this kind of call, board what needs boarding, fit a temporary door if the slab is past saving, and the door closes again before we leave.
Front door slab kicked through
Slab cracked through, can't be re-hung tonight. We fit a temporary timber or composite slab to your existing frame so the property locks normally, and order the matched permanent slab for the next daylight visit. Both doors covered on the same insurance claim.
Shop or commercial unit boarded after break-in
Smashed shopfront, broken aluminium frame. We board with structural plywood overnight so the unit closes safely, then book the glass and frame repair for the next available daylight visit. Insurance-grade paperwork for the commercial claim.
Pet door used as the entry point
Reached through the cat flap, fished the keys off the hook by the door. We fit a key-safe and a hook out of arm's reach, swap the cylinder, board the cat flap if needed, and review every other reachable entry route.
Communal entrance forced into a flat
Building lobby compromised first, then the flat door. Two different repairs, often two different bills. We do the flat door and refer the lobby spec to the managing agent so the building cost doesn't land on you.
What gets replaced for the permanent repair
Most Wimbledon break-ins damage two or three of the following. Cylinder snapped (the classic UPVC attack, defeats a 1-star cylinder in under a minute). Door frame split at the strike plate (boot to the latch). Door slab cracked, punctured or kicked through. Glass panel gone, side-light or door-light. Hinge bolts torn from the frame. Multi-point gearbox bent or jammed. We carry replacement cylinders, BS3621 mortice locks, multi-point gearboxes (Fuhr, Lockmaster, GU for the common SW19 stock), strike plates, security hinge bolts and timber filling materials for the common SW19 doors. Cut-to-size glass and matched timber for heritage Wimbledon Village slabs are sourced same-day where suppliers stock the profile, or booked for the next daylight visit where the slab needs ordering. We work to Police Preferred (Secured by Design) specification and we name the brands on the invoice: Avocet ABS, Yale Platinum, MUL-T-LOCK, Banham retrofits, Chubb, ASSA Abloy, ERA, Ingersoll on cylinders and mortices. The decision on what gets replaced versus repaired is driven by what the insurer expects, what the building's spec sheet permits, and what genuinely makes the property safer. We are not going to push you toward a full door slab when the strike plate and a 3-star cylinder fix the actual weakness.
The five things your insurer asks for, every time
Almost every UK home contents policy covers emergency boarding up, a temporary door slab, and the permanent burglary repair after a forced entry, provided the paperwork is in order. Five things insurers ask for, every time, and the items the cheaper post-burglary operators skip. First, an itemised invoice naming each part separately: boarding materials by board count, temporary slab by spec, replacement cylinder by kitemark grade, mortice by BS3621 certification, gearbox by brand, frame timber by linear metre, glass by pane, labour broken out across both visits. Second, the crime reference number from the attending officer (you hold this, we record it on the invoice). Third, dated photographs of the damage from at least two angles per damaged element, taken before we touch anything. Fourth, kitemark documentation: the BS3621 certificate for any new mortice, the TS007 3-star paperwork for any new anti-snap cylinder. Fifth, a statement of work showing what was tonight-work versus daylight-work and why. We supply all five as standard, included in the price. We email the whole pack directly to your insurer if you would rather hand it over once. A forced-entry claim often triggers a policy review, and your renewal may require a higher lock spec than you had before. We can fit BS3621 mortices on the timber doors and TS007 3-star cylinders on the UPVC and composite on the same permanent visit, so the renewal terms are met before the question is asked.
How a same-day burglary repair runs
Quote on the phone before we leave the unit. We give you a range, not a fixed number, because every break-in is different and we are not going to commit to a fixed price before we have seen the door. Around 30 minutes to most of SW19. We walk the damage with you, photograph what your insurer is going to want, and split the work into tonight versus daylight. Tonight: boarding up where the glass or panel is gone, temporary door fitting if the slab is past saving, cylinder swap, latch restored, multi-point gearbox replacement where the Fuhr or Lockmaster has bent past resetting, the door locks. Daylight: matched timber for heritage stock, cut-to-size glass, the right cylinder spec for the insurer, strike plate upgraded if the original gave way too easily, security hinge bolts. Twelve years in SW19 means we know the failure patterns by estate. UPVC across Centre Court and the Broadway: the cylinder fails first to a snap attack. Victorian timber across Wimbledon Village and South Wimbledon: the frame splits at the strike plate before the lock gives. Newer Raynes Park composite: the hinge bolts give before the slab. Commercial units on the Broadway: glass goes first, framing follows. We carry the parts that match the stock and the experience to spec the right burglary repair on the call.
Things people ask while we're on the way
How fast can you get here for a burglary repair in Wimbledon?
Around 30 minutes to most of Wimbledon SW19 for a same-day burglary repair. The Village, the Broadway, South Wimbledon, Wimbledon Park, Merton and Raynes Park all sit inside that window. We treat post-burglary calls as emergencies even when the police have already left, because an unsecured front door overnight is not really an option.
Do you do emergency boarding up in Wimbledon, or is that a separate service?
Same service, same engineer, same visit. Every van carries 18mm structural plywood, proper structural fixings (not nails), padlocks, hasps and the kit to cut a sized access panel so the boarding still works as a door for the next 24 hours. We don't subcontract the boarding up to a third party. The boarding line is on the same itemised invoice as the rest of the burglary repair, so the insurance claim stays simple.
Can you fit a temporary door in Wimbledon if mine is past saving?
Yes. Where the slab is kicked through, split or otherwise past repair on the night, we fit a temporary stock-timber or stock-composite door slab to your existing frame. It locks, opens and operates normally, so you can live in the property while the matched permanent slab is ordered. The temporary door is temporary by design: secure enough to withstand another attempt and to give you the days needed to source the permanent slab, but not engineered to last. We do not put a warranty on the temporary slab itself. The permanent replacement, when it arrives, carries the full 1-year warranty.
Will my home insurance cover the boarding up, temporary door and burglary repair?
Almost every UK home contents policy covers all three after a forced entry. Five things insurers ask for: an itemised invoice naming each part, the crime reference number from the attending officer, dated photographs of the damage from two angles per element, the BS3621 or TS007 kitemark documentation for any new lock, and a statement of work showing tonight versus daylight. We supply all five as standard. We email the pack to your insurer directly if you prefer.
Can I still come and go while the door is boarded up?
Yes. Where you still need to use the entrance overnight, we cut a sized access panel in the 18mm plywood and fit a hasp, staple and padlock so the boarding works as a temporary door rather than just sealing the opening. Where the original frame is intact and only the slab is gone, we usually skip the boarding and fit a temporary stock door instead because it's a better experience for you. Either way, you can lock up and live normally until the permanent visit.
What's the difference between a 1-star and a 3-star cylinder, and why does it matter after a break-in?
The cylinder that just got snapped was almost certainly a 1-star TS007 unit. Snap attacks defeat them in under two minutes with a Spider tool that costs less than a takeaway. A 3-star cylinder (Avocet ABS, Yale Platinum or MUL-T-LOCK) is engineered with a deliberate snap line and a hardened core: the same attack fails. After a break-in your insurer will frequently make this 3-star upgrade a renewal condition. We fit 3-star as standard on post-burglary jobs unless you ask otherwise.
Will the burglary repair satisfy my insurer's renewal terms?
Yes, where we fit BS3621 mortice locks on timber doors and TS007 3-star anti-snap cylinders on UPVC and composite, the spec meets every UK home insurer's standard renewal terms. We supply the BS3621 certificate for new mortices and the cylinder kitemark documentation as part of the receipt. We work to Police Preferred (Secured by Design) specification where the building permits. Take both to your insurer and the renewal clause is closed.
Do you replace doors, or just locks and frames?
Locks, cylinders, multi-point gearboxes, BS3621 mortices, strike plates, security hinge bolts, frame timber repair, 18mm structural boarding up, and temporary door fitting are all standard kit on every van. Full permanent door slab replacement we can quote, but for matched timber on Victorian or heritage Wimbledon Village stock the slab often needs ordering and we book the second visit accordingly. UPVC and composite slabs we can usually source same-day from local suppliers. We will be straight with you about which path is faster and which is cheaper.
How fast does the permanent repair happen after the temporary work?
Usually the next available daylight visit, often the next day, occasionally two or three days where the slab, glass or heritage timber needs ordering to match. We book the daylight slot before we leave the night work, so you know when we're back. The temporary boarding up or temporary door stays in place and stays secure until the permanent visit. Both visits are on one invoice.
Do you cover commercial shopfront burglary repair as well?
Yes. Commercial boarding up to the same 18mm structural plywood specification, cylinder and shutter lock replacement, frame repair, with cut-to-size glass and aluminium framing booked for the next daylight visit. Commercial buildings insurance handles the claim the same way as domestic, on an itemised invoice with dated photographs and a crime reference. We work directly with managing agents and commercial property managers.
What does a same-day burglary repair in Wimbledon cost?
Every break-in is different so we quote a range on the call rather than a fixed number. On standard UPVC with a snapped cylinder, the bill settles at the lower end. On a split-frame timber door with full strike plate replacement, boarding up to a side-light and a temporary slab, it lands higher. Tell us the door, the damage, the time of day, and your postcode, and we walk you through what the range covers. No call-out fee if we cannot help. Boarding up and temporary door fitting are itemised separately so the insurance claim is clean.
Do you write the police paperwork or do I?
You hold the crime reference number from the officer who attended. Your insurer wants that reference, our itemised invoice, our dated photographs, and our kitemark documentation. We provide our part. You pass the crime reference and our paperwork to the insurer. We are happy to email the whole pack to your insurer directly if you'd rather hand it over once.
Will the burglary repair be warrantied?
Yes on the permanent parts, no on the temporary work, by design. Permanent parts we supply (cylinders, BS3621 mortice locks, multi-point gearboxes, strike plates, security hinge bolts, the matched permanent door slab when it is fitted) carry a 1-year warranty from fit. Adjustments and repairs on existing locks where no new part is supplied carry 6 months. Emergency boarding up and temporary door slabs explicitly do not carry a warranty: they are meant to secure the property against another attempt and to give you the days to arrange the permanent fix, not to last weeks. £5m public liability behind every visit. Every locksmith DBS-checked.
Payment, paperwork and warranty
Late-night work doesn't excuse cutting corners on the paperwork side. Here's what stays the same whether we secure your property at 2am or 2pm.
Pay once the door is secure
Tap, contactless, Apple Pay, Google Pay, chip-and-PIN, cash, doesn't matter which. The engineer carries the reader. No doorstep pressure to settle before the work is finished.
Insurer-ready paperwork
Itemised invoice, dated photographs, BS3621 + TS007 kitemark documentation, statement of tonight-versus-daylight work. We email the whole pack to your insurer if you'd rather hand it over once.
Permanent parts warrantied for a year
Every cylinder, mortice, gearbox, hinge bolt and the matched permanent door slab carries a 1-year warranty from fit. Identical guarantee whether the work was done at 3am on the night or 11am the following morning.
Temporary work is temporary by design
Boarding up and temporary door slabs are not warrantied: they secure against another attempt and buy you days for the permanent fix. £5m public liability, every locksmith DBS-checked, Police Preferred under Secured by Design.
Burgled in Wimbledon? Pick up the phone.
Tell us your postcode, what door you're standing in front of, what the damage looks like and whether the police have left a crime reference. We'll quote firm on the call, give you a realistic ETA, and have an engineer on the way before you've finished giving us the address.
Property is secure for tonight, want to book the permanent repair? Drop the details below. Most replies within the hour during the day.