Bikie war in Adelaide escalates as police increase surveillance on outlaw motorcycle gangs
TWO Adelaide bikie gangs are under heightened police surveillance, as an escalating conflict between the outlaw groups led to an alleged drug dealer being shot inside his Gilles Plains home on Thursday.
HELLS Angels and Mongols members and associates are under heightened police surveillance, as an escalating conflict between the outlaw bikie gangs led to an alleged drug dealer being shot inside his Gilles Plains home.
Senior police on Thursday revealed they were investigating whether three recent spates of arson attacks and shootings were part of an increasingly violent dispute between members and associates of the Hells Angels and Mongols, who “patched over” from the former Finks Motorcycle Club in 2013.
In the latest incident, a 30-year old man was rushed to hospital after being shot four times through the front door of his Lurline Ave home at Gilles Plains about 12.30am on Thursday.
He was arrested and charged in December 2015 along with a 26-year old woman and a senior Hells Angels member, after police seized 340g of methamphetamine and a taser from the home.
The man and woman are listed to face trial in the District Court in August, while the Hells Angels member walked free after prosecutors dropped charges against him in June last year.
Detective Superintendent Craig Patterson said the shot man was “extremely lucky” to have survived the shooting, in which nine bullets were fired from an unidentified make of gun.
A silver car seen driving from the scene was last spotted in Northfield and Supt Patterson said police were investigating if drugs were the motive for the shooting.
“This is not a random attack, these people are known to each other and operate inside a circle of criminal activity linked to OMCG members,” Supt Patterson said.
One neighbour, who only wanted to named as Susan, said she heard a volley of “very fast, very loud” gunshots.
“I’m not happy because Gilles Plains is a peaceful suburb and now it just happened next to us,” she said.
“We didn’t know them but we used to see a young guy coming and going, didn’t seem strange. They didn’t mingle with us.
“I sometimes heard parties. I did see a police car here a few days ago but I don’t know if it was for them — I didn’t take much notice.”
The victim rented the house and the homeowner, who visited the damaged house this morning, said he did not know his tenants.
Nearby resident Mark — who also did not want to provide his surname — said he woke up to four loud knocks on his glass door around the same time as the shooting.
“Obviously we didn’t get up because we weren’t expecting anyone,” he said.
“A short time later we saw all the ambulances and police with their flashing lights racing down to that house there.
“So obviously something has happened. If I went to my door I probably would have been shot as well.
“It’s a bit concerning because we have three kids here.”
Supt Patterson said police feared innocent members of the public could be caught up in hostilities between the gangs.
Bad blood between the groups has simmered for more than five years since Hells Angels members broke into the Semaphore home of senior Mongols member Mark Sandery and shot his son in the leg in 2011.
Supt Patterson said the traditional “code of silence” among outlaw motorcycle gangs made it hard to pinpoint the exact source of the latest increase in conflict.
“I can’t confirm exactly what the source may be, but we are examining all the possible links and most likely would be over drug distribution but we are exploring links with not just drugs but other sorts of crime,” he said.
“Public safety is our greatest fear and we are putting things in place to reduce that risk ... we have a number of strategies and plans in place.”
Detectives from the Crime Gangs Task Force and Serious Organised Crime Branch are investigating any links to the dispute between arson attacks and shootings at St Clair last month and in the southern suburbs last week.
Supt Patterson said a local drug dispute was the likely motive behind arson attacks on a Morphett Vale tattoo studio and a Seaford house early on March 2, followed by a drive-by shooting the following morning in which five gunshots were fired at a car and house on Commercial Rd at Moana.
“It is believed these offences are related to a local dispute between drug groups ... a number of those people do have links to OMCG members, but police at this stage do not believe those links ... are the motive or reason behind this dispute,” he said.
Supt Patterson said the shooting of a man inside a home on St Clair Ave on the morning of February 19 involved Hells Angels and Mongols members or associates, but it was “too early” to determine if it was part of the feud.
He said police were eager to make swift arrests over the recent incidents but were being hampered by a lack of co-operation.
“Rivalry between gangs has the potential to impact on innocent people, we have a zero tolerance for this type of behaviour, we take this very seriously,” he said.
Supt Patterson urged anyone with information to contact authorities, adding that police could take measures to protect witnesses.
Timeline — arson attacks and shootings
1.10am March 2. Tattoo studio on Main South Rd at Morphett Vale. Two molotov cocktails at front and rear.
2.40am Grange Ct, Seaford. Three vehicles and two carports damaged by fire.
“These victims, in regards to those vehicles on the premises, have no reason why they should be targeted,” Supt
6.45am March 3: House Commercial Rd, five shots being fired at car in driveway and house. Occupants home but unharmed. Shots between midnight-2.30am
St Clair shooting
Sunday February 19, 7.35am: Two armed men entered home St Clair Ave St Clair. Altercations, three shots fired, hitting one in lower leg, resulting in minor injuries. Other occupant not injured and offenders left in vehicle.
Supt Patterson said detectives had uncovered links between the shot man and the alleged intruders, and that it was believed to be part of conflict between the Hells Angels and Mongols.
12.30am
Lurline Ave Gilles Plains. Occupant asleep, woken by knock. When he asked who was there, nine rounds were fired through the screen and main front door, hitting the victim four times. Taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Victim “known to police” but not member of a gang. Previously called to incident there 15 months ago.