Do car anti-theft devices really work? Maybe the better question is why we have to buy such devices in the first place. The answer is simple: car thieves exist, and they suck. People work hard for their money, and they spend a considerable amount of that money on their vehicles. So when someone’s vehicle is stolen, not only is it a personal violation, it can be a significant financial loss. In other instances, thieves won’t steal an entire car but valuable parts off it which can be just as bad.

The fallout from car theft is a whole other story. Let’s get back to the original question. There is no point in buying car anti-theft devices if they don’t work. Since just about every vehicle owner on the planet wants to protect their car from thieves, it is easy for dubious companies to pray on their insecurities by selling anti-theft devices that do little to actually protect a vehicle from theft.

Though realistically speaking, there is not a way to 100% protect a car from theft. In essence, car anti-theft devices are meant to be deterrents for thieves. The real test is how long an anti-theft device can hold off a thief?

The crew at Donut Media decided to test several inexpensive car anti-theft devices that they found on Amazon to see how effective they really are. As you might expect, the results were hilarious. Before we get into the video, let’s take a closer look at a few of the devices they tested.

Hurbo wheellock car anti-theft device

This device will probably look familiar to anyone who has received too many parking tickets. The Hurbo wheellock is essentially a consumer-version of the boots that parking enforcement will put on vehicles of owners who have racked up unpaid ticket fees. Those boots seem to be pretty effective in those situations, so why wouldn’t they work to deter car thieves?

That is what Hurbo hopes potential customers think before they click the “buy” button on their Amazon listing. Unfortunately, Nolan from Donut Media was able to defeat this device with a brute strength attack. You’ll see what we mean when you watch the video.

KeyGuard window key safe lockbox

This window lockbox is another device that you have probably seen before. Window lockboxes are commonly used at car dealerships. If you’re a dealer with 50+ cars on your lot, hanging all the keys on the wall might get a little confusing. To make things easier, dealerships will keep the keys with each car but locked away in a box like the one seen here. They generally require a key or code to open. It might seem unbelievable but sometimes thieves will steal cars right out of a dealership showroom. So, devices like this are undoubtedly necessary.

This lockbox may look a little flimsy, but it is one of the toughest car anti-theft devices that Donut tested. We won’t spoil how they managed to defeat it. You probably wouldn’t believe us without seeing it for yourself anyway.

Which car anti-theft devices worked?

Donut Media tested more devices than we highlighted here. Some of them worked, and some of them failed in grand fashion. It is pretty entertaining to see how all the tests played out. No spoilers, but you will definitely want to watch until the end. You might want to have some headphones on for that part.

While the video is pretty funny, car theft is a serious issue. We think the moral of this story is that when it comes to car anti-theft devices, you get what you pay for.