SEVENTEEN cars have been vandalised at Weinam Creek in four days as the council works through an "excruciatingly slow" to install security cameras in the car park.
Police spotted 11 damaged vehicles while patrolling on Wednesday, adding to six found on Sunday. Police said the vandalism included smashed windows and slashed tyres.
Macleay Island resident Anna Linneth started a Facebook group after her car was damaged about two weeks ago. "Now that people are talking to each other we have realised how big a problem it is," she said. "It's just out of control."
Cr Mark Edwards - who has been calling for the council to install CCTV for years - said that a $49,000 federal grant for security cameras required them to be installed by the end of the year but the process had been excruciatingly slow.
In the meantime the council was funding regular patrols of the Weinam Creek car park, with a council spokesman saying problem areas were given significant resources.
A woman, who asked not to be named, said the fuel line on her partner's car was cut and the door forced open while in the car park overnight.
"The fuel line damage wasn't obvious when he drove away but caused a huge spill in the driveway of a Victoria Point petrol station when he added fuel," she said.
Another Macleay Island resident said he found his car with windows smashed and door partially ripped off.
"They had rampaged through my car looking for things," he said.
The council approved its security camera policy in July last year, then amended it in February.
Mayor Karen Williams said the council was working closely with police, although crime prevention was a state government responsibility.
"I have spoken with senior local police officers about what can be done to stem the current vandalism occurring at Weinam Creek and in response police have committed to doing all they can," Cr Williams said.
She said the council had been working with the police and Translink on agreements to ensure footage was easily accessible to police.
"I have written to Translink in the hope the memorandum of understanding can be signed as soon as possible so that when the new security cameras are installed the footage can be shared between parties," she said.
Residents have called for security cameras near the ferry terminal for years. In one incident in June last year, vandals pushed a car onto its side and smashed windows of at least nine others in the ferry terminal car park.
The state government installed 17 cameras during an $8.15 million upgrade of the marina bus station in 2017 but said any in the car park would be up to council.
In 2016, the federal government gave $10,000 for eight cameras for Southern Moreton Bay Island ferry terminals.
The cameras remain uninstalled after a debacle over who would pay for their installation.
Mr Laming said in February that he was working on a solution to install those cameras.
"I ... expect the necessary works to commence shortly," he said at the time.