Repeated vigilante attacks have kept a pair of speed cameras installed on a Spanish freeway from issuing many tickets since they were installed a year ago. As a result, the devices located on N-332 north and southbound near Cabo Roig have failed to generate the level of traffic citation revenue that officials had expected.

The vigilantes first smashed the lenses of both cameras shortly after they had been put in place in 2007. Although a contractor quickly repaired the devices, they were put out of action but just two weeks later.

The Costa Calida Leader newspaper now reports that local officials appear to have given up making repairs after losing a back-and-forth battle with vigilantes armed with cans of brown spraypaint. Camera lenses are left thickly coated with paint within a day of their being cleaned.