Fraser Coast business owners say they are fed up being the victims of crime after a spate of break-ins and will set up a committee to call for more police resources.
They say businesses are being targeted by young offenders and, as a result, Hervey Bay's esplanade has many boarded-up shopfronts.
Sundae's at The Pier owner Chris Bye is in the process of forming a Hervey Bay Business Accord committee to tackle the issue.
He said he had touched base with 80 businesses and 28 had already been in contact.
"One business in particular is estimated to have lost around $100,000 between repairs, loss of products and trade.
"We're trying to form a committee to see how we can go about talking to police, council and other business owners to try and find out some sort of a remedy as to how we can solve this."
Mr Bye will hold a meeting next week to discuss the group's next steps.
"I understand it's not going to be a quick fix but sitting on our hands isn't going to do anything about it either," he said.
"The police are tired; they are getting no support from the magistrates.
"We're trying to support the police and get them some more funding tools to try and act on what those offenders are doing."
The Big Brother effect
An election promise to invest more in CCTV in crime hotspots will have a limited impact, according to University of the Sunshine Coast criminology lecturer Nadine McKillop.
Dr McKillop said the surveillance measures were not as effective as they once were.
"When these types of crime prevention measures were brought into place very early on, there were changes in behaviour because people were much more cognisant," she said.
"We've moved to a space where we have to be reminded that they're around, so you'll see in shop fronts signs that say you are being watched.
"It's the Big Brother effect."
She said the cameras have become "more of a reactive rather than proactive measure to crime prevention".
"They're unemployed, not engaged in any other pro-social recreational activities.
"We need to get better at preventing crime and working with young people at risk and investing in programs that identify these young people and give them the best opportunities to be on the right track."
She said it would be useful to map crime hotspots to be able to design strategies around reducing risks or opportunities.
Collaboration needed
Fraser Coast Regional Councillor David Lee said there were many factors contributing to the issue.
"Decades ago, Maryborough was the principal centre and Hervey Bay was the outpost and we've now got a rapidly growing population here in the Bay," he said.
"Council has a role in terms of advocating for change at a state level.
"This is not an easy fix. It's a complex problem and I think there is that ability to have that intergovernmental collaboration."
Opposition spokesperson for police Dale Last visited Hervey Bay on Tuesday to talk with residents.
"There has been a tripling of unlawful use of a motor vehicle offences in the last couple of months and a spike in assaults," Mr Last said.
"Our police officers are out there doing the best that they can but already today I've heard very clearly from this community they want additional police resources and an upgraded police station.
"There has been massive growth here in the Bay. [There's] 60,000-odd here now and with growth comes the need to ensure that your emergency services and health system grow in line with the population."
Mr Last said he wanted to see other changes including breach of bail being made an offence.
"That's what the locals want; that's what the owners want."
Police numbers to be bolstered
Police Minister Mark Ryan said the [Annastacia] Palaszczuk government had made a significant investment in policing.
"The police commissioner has stated publicly that the government's investment will deliver a minimum of 150 extra police officers to the region [and] that includes Hervey Bay," Mr Ryan said.
"The government and police know that for every crime there is a victim and that no single instance of crime is acceptable.
"That's why the government is making the biggest investment in policing in more than three decades and giving police the laws they need.
"Like the presumption against bail, which has resulted in more recidivist offenders being locked up more often and for longer."
