Local Lock Complete Locksmith Service

This is really 2 reviews in one…
So I’m an idiot. Like many males, I take out the garbage. Sometimes, like many males, I do this in my boxers. And like a few similarly stupid males, I let the door shut behind me, but forget that it’s locked.
Somehow, my phone was with me. Also, fortuitously, I had an extra pair of scubs in my car which was unlocked (again, somewhat luckily for me).
I remembered that the phonebook had been left in front of the mailboxes, so I jogged over and got one. I flipped open the book and looked at the ads and quickly realized that you can’t judge a locksmith by their ad.
I randomly chose a few and got them priced out. $ 55-​$ 75 just to send someone out. This is important because they don’t all tell you that they charge you just to come out. They have additional fees once they get there! Those all vary depending on how the smith feels. He can charge you whatever he wants once he’s there.
So, I eventually call Abrams and he says he’s at the beach, just drove back out and can’t make it. He also goes on to tell me that he’d rather try to help me before giving business to his competition. He tells me to try the old credit card trick and call him back. He seems pretty cool.
I try it for 30 min, but I’m late for work and I can’t get it open. I call him back and he says he still can’t come out.
So now I’m stuck and I have to call another place. I call a small ad, called «Local Lock Complete Locksmith Service at 223−6660″. It’s a guy with an Eastern European accent and he says he can have someone there in 10 minutes. I’m desperate since I’m late for work so I say ok. Ten minutes roll by and I get another call from the actual locksmith saying he just go the call and it’ll be another 10 minutes.
He finally gets to my place and we make small talk for a minute. He says the it’s been a busy day and that his job has caused him to get divorced twice. He proceeds to the door and says he’ll try to pick it.
He takes out his tools and tries to „rake“ the lock for about 8 minutes. That’s a long time. This is no heavy duty lock. It’s a simple $ 15 cheap ass Kwikset. I’m watching him and thinking, „Jesus, this guy doesn’t know what he’s doing.“ He might as well have just tried a bump key first.
Anyway he gives up and says,“Well what do you want me to do?» I can try it with «air pressure» or just drill the lock.” If I try air pressure, it’s an extra$ 150, if I drill it’s another $ 129 plus a lock. I charge $ 80 to try to pick it.“
I was incredulous. He couldn’t pick this cheap lock? He tried to say that using the «air pressure» would cost HIM money. I didn’t know what that meant, but eventually he talked me into trying it. What that means is he put and inflatable air bladder into the space between the door and the door frame to create some space. Then he tries to jam a thin metal tool (like a putty knife) in between the door and the door knob mechanism to pop open the door. So he takes a hammer to it to really force it in. Doesn’t work. He then gets another and hammers 2 of them in there. Still doesn’t work.
He says he can’t do anything but drill the lock. I say no. I don’t want to spend another $ 129 plus have to get a new lock. He says he’ll lower the service fee to $ 50. I felt like he was scamming me. He really tries to get me to drill the lock, but I say no. He’s getting frustrated and says he can’t do it. I reply that I think he should be able to pick it. I say it’s ok, I’ll just call someone else.
He tries to pick it again for another 10 mintues. Now I’m 1 hour late for work. He tries again to push me to have the lock drilled and replaced. He then says it’s $ 129 plus the $ 55 service fee. I said,” I thought it was $ 50 for the service fee.” He pretends to say forget it and tells me jsut to pay him the service fee. I say ok. Then he argues again and asks why I can’t let him drill it. I say forget it.
I pull out my credit card and he says cash only. I don’t have cash on me of course. So we have to call it in and I get charged. While he’s working that out, I call Abrams again.
He says he’s at home and about to eat. I tell him the whole story and and ask him if he has any recs for another smith. Eventually, his wife tells him that it’s ok to come so I give him directions.
I pay the other guy his money and he leaves in a huff. What a waste of time and money.
I wait another 15 min or so and the Abrams guy rolls up. He first tries a bump key but can’t do it. He then just straight picks it. In all it took him 5 – 6 minutes. He opens the door and I look at the door jam and it’s all busted and cracked. It has to be from when the first guy was slamming away with his putty knife and hammer.
I call them and ask them about the damage. He says he’ll call me back. After 3 days, I call them and they say they didn’t do it and that they never went to my house! I reversed the charges with AME