Fire breaks out in former Hells Angels Clubhouse

Fire caused $75,000 in damages

 

 Building at the corner of Beach Road & Gage Avenue North with fire crews

HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA (March 8, 2016) No injuries are being reported following a structure fire at the former Hells Angels clubhouse in Hamilton.

Fire crews were called to the building at the corner of Beach Road and Gage Avenue North early Tuesday morning at around 3:07 a.m.

Claudio Mostacci, spokesperson for the Hamilton Fire Department, said the two-story building was venting out heavy fire and smoke when crews arrived on scene. The residence east of the building was evacuated, but the fire was contained to the 105 Beach Road address.

Mostacci said investigators are not considering the cause of the fire to be suspicious in nature.

The fire started between the floor joists between the first and second floor. Eventually, the fired burned through the floor and spread to the second floor. Mostacci said an electrical issue between the floors caused the fire.

The original call brought in six units from the fire department, but when the fire threatened a residence beside the structure, additional units were called in. Gage Avenue North was closed until just after 6 a.m.

The fire was knocked down quickly, but not before causing around $75,000 worth of damage.
 
Former home to the Hells Angels

Hells Angels MC Clubhouse prior to eviction

The motorcycle club was evicted from their clubhouse at the end of January because the owner of the property reportedly owed three years worth of back taxes.

At the time of the eviction, a local lawyer representing members of the Hamilton chapter said the issue was not about the club paying rent. The conflict was between the landlord and the person who holds the mortgage on the property.

The clubhouse was home to about a dozen Hells Angels members and was shared by a handful of Red Devils MC members.

Two Dead - Six-Hour Standoff in Sydney

Two Dead After Dispute Between Australian Bikers Leads to Six-Hour Standoff in Sydney

A member of the Finks MC in Australia

SIDNEY, AUSTRALIA  (March 7, 2016) — On Monday morning, an apparent rivalry between motorcycle clubs became violent when one club member entered a sign-making shop in Sydney and opened fire. After an hours-long standoff with police, the gunman — who has since been identified as Wayne Williams, 33 – shot himself dead.

Local news reports said Williams entered the factory, which is in an industrial suburb southwest of Sydney, around 10.45 am. Police say he was carrying a long firearm.

Mick Bassal, 43, died at the scene. Detective Inspector Mark Brett said at a press conference that when they arrived, they found "three males, one deceased and two others with gunshot wounds." The two injured are Bassal's brothers. They were transported to a nearby hospital, where one underwent emergency surgery.

Williams, the gunman, reportedly belongs to the Finks Motorcycle Club, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. Bassal, the victim, owned the sign business and had ties to the Rebels Motorcycle Club.

Police say they surrounded the factory upon arrival and began negotiations with Williams. One man was arrested at the scene for allegedly hindering police operations. Three people reportedly left the building shortly before Williams shot himself, but it is not clear whether they were hostages.

The area surrounding the sign factory was reportedly on lock down. Police evacuated businesses, and escorted employees to shelter under police protection.

Rogan Burns, an employee at a nearby entertainment agency, said that police were treating the situation very seriously.

"My colleague actually left to go and get the boss a cake for his birthday," Burns said. "The police came screaming in the vehicles and just told everyone to get back inside."

Police say they don't believe the siege was terrorism related.

According to the Australian Crime Commission (ACC), motorcycle clubs or "bikie clubs" as they're known locally are "the most identifiable components of Australia's criminal landscape." The ACC says there are clubs active throughout the country – 44 clubs are on their radar, with a grand total of 179 chapters and 4,483 members. About 25 percent of those members reportedly belong to the Rebels – the same club that Mick Bassal reportedly had ties to.

Members of the Finks MC rolling on their Motorcycles

In December 2014, a hostage situation in Sydney made international headlines when self-described sheikh, Mar Haron Monis, entered a cafe with a gun and declared allegiance to the Islamic State. A tense 16-hour standoff ensued, with Monis holding 18 customers and employees hostage.

Monis had reportedly tried to join the Rebels Motorcycle Club, but his application was rejected because the club decided he was unstable and untrustworthy.

Hells Angels growth in Ottawa and Gatineau concerns cops

The Red Devils MC has three branches in the Ottawa-Gatineau Region, according to police

Recruitment up for biker clubs affiliated with the Hells Angels in the national capital region

OTTAWA, CANADA (March 7, 2016) — The Hells Angels MC is expanding its presence in the National capital region with the help of the Red Devils MC.

According to police, the Red Devils now have three branches here — one in Ottawa and two in Gatineau — and members are actively recruiting throughout the region, drafting newcomers from local biker club Dark Souls Outaouais.

 Sgt. Len Isnor of the Biker Enforcement Unit

The Red Devils MC wear a jacket with the name Ottawa, but there are three sections," said Ontario Provincial Police Detective Sergeant Len Isnor, who works in the control unit against biker clubs.

The Ottawa North and Ottawa East sections of the Red Devils are based in Gatineau, and the third section is based in Ottawa itself, according to Isnor. Most of the clubs's Ontario members live in the Cornwall area.

Police say that in its role as a sort of "farm team" for Hells Angels, the Red Devils do the dirty work in the region — dealing drugs, prostitution, and extortion — funneling money up to the Angels.

"It's the motive of every Red Devils member to become a member of the Hells Angels," said Isnor.

In Quebec, the Hells Angels were effectively pushed out of the province in 2009, when police enacted a stunning sweep of the organization, arresting 156 people, including 111 full patch members.

Ever since those raids disrupted operations, the Angels' leaders and members have become far more cautious, according to Sylvain Tremblay, a former investigator with Sûreté du Québec and expert on organized crime.

Former Outlaws MC Clubhouse Sold

Former Outlaws clubhouse to become yoga studio

Crews remove the Outlaws sign off the building

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (March 7, 2016) — The owners of a former motorcycle clubhouse in Fort Wayne are working to transform the two-story building into a yoga studio.

Outlaws Motorcycle Club’s former local clubhouse was purchased last month for $36,000. The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette reports that the property was listed for $49,900 late last year after the federal government seized it in September following an FBI raid in May 2013.

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The former Outlaws Clubhouse at 1202 West Main Street with a 'For Sale' sign

Luke Messmann, who will manage the business, was preparing the building last week for an extensive remodel. He plans to spend about $25,000 on new windows, doors, floors and paint.

The 4,000-square-foot,  115 year old two-story building sits on a lot zoned for restaurant, cafeteria or bar use. Messmann hopes to create a two-bedroom apartment on the second floor where visiting yoga instructors can stay overnight for a few weeks.

The still-unnamed yoga studio is set to open in June or July.