WENDOUREE traders have declared war on thieves and vandals damaging their businesses.Last night about 15 business owners from Golden Cres, Anchor Drive, and Old Creswick Rd, gathered to work out new plans to deter thieves.The businesses included painters, plumbers, mechanics and engineering firms.Group spokesman and Coppens Signs business owner Philip Meiklejohn said in the past 18 months several traders had vandals break in and wreak havoc."We are all a bit concerned about it and we want to implement some measures to minimise the risk," he said."There has been a fair bit of damage in that time, there has been several break-ins; they got into one business and just destroyed four vehicles and threw paint everywhere."It's just the inconvenience of it all, we work hard to build these businesses up and we have to pay our way.We don't run around stealing things."We just want to sit around and see if we can work out some measures to stop it."Among some of the ideas raised was increased lighting, security cameras and guard dogs.Sectrol Security Ballarat director Grant Belsar said there was no easy fix to the problem."This is the first step to see what others are doing," he said."We have got to try and deter them as much as we possibly can and make it as hard for them as we can."You are dealing with career professional (criminals) and we need to deter them."Ballarat Police Leading Senior Constable Jeff Whittaker said lighting, security cameras and guard dogs were proven methods to deter thieves and vandals.