Towing & roadside assistance—one local call.

Lake View East & North Side focus · 24/7
English & Spanish assistance

Towing & roadside assistance—one local call.

Lake View East & North Side focus · 24/7
English & Spanish assistance

Phone and Keys Locked in the Car? How to Arrange Help

Phone locked in the car with your keys? Borrow a phone to call Rick’s, and agree on a callback and meeting point.

First, separate an emergency from an ordinary lockout

If someone is trapped and in danger, ask for a phone and call 911 immediately. Do not wait for routine vehicle-entry service. The National 911 Program says to give the emergency location, the number you are calling from and the nature of the emergency, then follow the call-taker’s instructions.

For an ordinary lockout, ask a companion or staff at a nearby staffed business whether you can make a call. Explain that your own phone is inside the vehicle. A borrowed phone can start the conversation, but the return-call arrangement needs to work after you hang up.

Give a number you can actually answer

Tell Rick’s at the start: “I’m calling from a borrowed phone. My phone is locked inside the car.” Do not give only your usual mobile number if you cannot reach it.

With the phone owner’s permission, agree on whether that number can receive a callback and how long you will have access to it. If you are using a business phone, confirm that staff can take a return call; do not assume they can act as a message service. If no callback is possible, explain that before arranging service and agree on a specific way to meet.

Write down Rick’s number, the agreed meeting point and the service details. If you move from that meeting point, use the agreed contact method to update us. A missed callback should not leave the operator guessing where you went.

Describe the car without relying on a map pin

Give the vehicle’s year, make, model, color and exact parking position. Include the street number, nearest cross street and side of the street. In a garage, provide the entrance, level and stall number, plus gate access and clearance restrictions.

For a Lake View East pickup, an apartment’s front address may be different from its rear parking entrance. In a Lincoln Park lot, identify the entrance the operator can actually use. Tell us where you will wait and how to recognize you without needing a text to your locked-away phone.

Say if your ID and registration are inside too

Rick’s provides authorized vehicle lockout assistance. If your identification, registration or rental paperwork is locked inside, mention that during the call. Discuss how authorization can be checked before dispatch; having documents inside does not remove the need to verify permission.

If another person owns the car, explain your relationship and whether that person can be contacted. Do not assume a friend booking the call is enough to establish access rights. Also say whether the keys are visible in the cabin, isolated in the trunk or actually missing. Door entry does not replace a lost key, and Rick’s does not cut or program keys.

Confirm the plan before returning the phone

Repeat the vehicle location, callback arrangement and meeting point. Confirm service suitability, availability, the arrival estimate and total quote. Mention a running engine or anyone inside the vehicle right away.

Rick’s is open 24/7, serving Lake View East as the primary area and Chicago’s North Side more broadly. A clear contact plan helps us assess and coordinate the request even when your own phone is unavailable.