Mining tycoon's $500,000 car found burnt

Mining magnate Nathan Tinkler is hoping an arrest will be made soon over the theft and destruction of his $500,000 Ferrari after a break-in at his home.

The high-performance car was found burnt-out in bushland off the Pacific Highway at Raymond Terrace, north of Newcastle, at about 2.30pm (AEST) on Monday.

'We hope there's an arrest very soon,' a spokesman for Mr Tinkler told AAP.

Police have taken what's left of the burnt-out vehicle for forensic examination.

Tinkler, the owner of the Newcastle Knights rugby league team, and his family were asleep when thieves broke into their Merewether beachside mansion sometime between 11pm on Saturday and 1am on Sunday.

The burglars made off with a stash of family property including watches, laptop computers and a digital camera.

They also took the keys to the 2010 black Ferrari California, which is believed to be one of only five in Australia.

The family slept through the robbery and no one was injured.

There is speculation the robbery may have been carried out by youths, although police have not confirmed this.

 

Drugs in blood of leagues club brawl

A man who died in a melee at the St George Leagues Club in Sydney on grand final night had traces of amphetamine in his blood, an inquest has heard.

In the early hours of October 4 last year, rugby league fan Steven Bosevski died after he was laid face down by police and handcuffed following an altercation at the club.

The cause of his death was described as 'resulting from the combined effects of hypertensive heart disease and methylamphetamine toxicity'.

Ian McClintock SC, counsel assisting the coroner, said Mr Bosevski was 'morbidly obese', weighing 134kg and standing 181cm tall.

He said the inquest would look at how his 'fragile medical state' led to his death and whether the use of capsicum spray in his vicinity had any effect on his condition.

It would also consider the issue of overcrowding at the club on the night of the NRL grand final game, whether there was any credible evidence that Mr Bosevski was tasered by police, and whether the force used by police officers was reasonable.

The court would also hear whether Mr Bosevski being placed on the ground by police officers and the use of pressure to his back or other parts of his body could have had any effect on his medical condition, Mr McClintock said.

The inquest before Deputy Coroner Paul MacMahon is continuing.

 

Melbourne shootings escalate fears of a violent clan feud

SHOTS have been fired across a Melbourne playground in the latest violent outbreak of what police believe is a feud between warring families.

Several shootings and a firebombing have occurred in Melbourne's north in the last nine days.

Early today, at Sunset Boulevard at Jacana, shots were fired into a house in which a number of people, including at least two children, were sleeping.

As the gunman fled, an occupant of the house ran to his own car and gave chase to a children's playground at nearby Glenroy, where more shots were exchanged.

No one was injured in the shootings, which occurred at about 5.30am.

Police believe this morning's violence is linked to a recent spate of attacks between apparently feuding families, with shots fired at the same house last Thursday.

“We believe this is a targeted incident directed at that house and not a wider community issue,” Detective Superintendant Kevin Sheridan said.




“It is certainly a concern to us that these shootings do continue and we're making every effort to detect who the offenders are and prosecute them.”

Over the past nine days, five violent incidents have occurred at the Sunset Boulevard house and at a home in the nearby suburb of Coolaroo, which was last week rammed with a truck and had an explosive device tossed through a window.

Supt Sheridan said police were looking for a white sports car and dark-coloured sedan seen in the vicinity of this morning's shooting. He appealed to the families for help.

“If the families involved in these (shootings) would like to come forward and assist police in investigations we would certainly welcome that.

“We have interviewed them all extensively but any further assistance would certainly be welcome to bring these events to a close,” he said.

 

MAN will face court after police found guns, ammunition and drugs at a home in Wetherill Park today.

About 8.30am Strike Force Raptor officers searched the premises and seized three pistols, two shotguns, ammunition and quantity of amphetamine and cannabis.

A 63-year-old man was arrested at the scene and was taken to Fairfield police station.

He was charged with multiple counts of possessing an unauthorised pistol, possessing an unauthorised firearm, possessing ammunition without a licence, possessing a prohibited drug and two counts of not keeping firearms safe.

The man was granted conditional bail to face Fairfield Local Court on July 18.

Strike Force Raptor is a proactive police operation targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs and their alleged associated criminal enterprises.

AT least three shots have been fired from a sports car at another car in Melbourne's north.

Witnesses have told police two men travelling in a Mercedes-Benz along Pascoe Vale Rd, Glenroy, fired the shots at a black Astra or Barina about 4.20pm (AEST) today.

Police believe no shots were fired from the targeted vehicle.

No one was apparently hurt and no arrests have been made.

A Hells Angels bikie has been killed after crashing his Harley Davidson in Sydney's inner west.

Police say he was riding through Stanmore around 1am Sunday morning when he lost control on Trafalgar Street and hit a parked car.

He was thrown from his bike and died before paramedics arrived.

A friend riding with him at the time has been questioned by police.

They want to speak to anyone else who saw the motorbike leading up to the crash.

Two members of the New Boys street gang have gone on trial after a brawl outside an Adelaide tattoo parlour in April last year.

The men, Vincenzo Focarelli and Michael Syfris, were allegedly involved in a fight with members of rival group the Hells Angels outside a Hindley Street tattoo parlour.

The pair pleaded not guilty to the charge of affray.

The Adelaide Magistrates Court was shown security vision which allegedly shows the accused men outside the tattoo parlour before they were approached by members of the Hells Angels.

The prosecution alleges Focarelli swung a metal pole at the group and Syfris used a chair to hit a man.

Focarelli's lawyer, Sam Abbott, argued the men were acting in self-defence against what he described as a "full frontal all-out attack" on his client.

POLICE swarmed Geelong yesterday as hundreds of Black Uhlans bikies gathered to farewell one of their own.

A huge police presence, with officers on the roads and in the sky, greeted the Uhlans and confused and worried local residents as the bikies met at their clubhouse in Belmont to send off Bell Park man Jeff Julian.

The 37-year-old died after losing control of his Harley Davidson while riding at Lara on June 6.

Planning for the worst, detectives and general duties officers joined their highway patrol colleagues and officers from the special response teams and mounted police in flocking to Skilled Stadium yesterday morning.

The football ground acted as the police base for the day.

Mourners many donning black armbands honouring their lost brother "Jeffro" began arriving at the Grayling St clubhouse hours before official proceedings began.


About eight police cars parked near the intersection of Barwon Heads Rd throughout the service, watching for any signs of trouble.

Others lined streets nearby, while a police helicopter hovered over the clubhouse from the sky.

When it was time for the hundreds of Uhlans to begin their procession to Eastern Cemetery, extra police resources flooded on to the scene.

The Uhlans formed a guard of honour to allow Mr Julian's coffin, carefully placed on a motorcycle sidecar and bearing the club's flag, to pass before they roared out behind the casket in droves.

Police in high-visibility vests stood along the major arterials of Barwon Heads Rd, La Trobe Tce, Ryrie St and Boundary Rd, while others followed behind the procession on police motorcycles and marked and unmarked cars and vans. The spectacle generated strong interest from passers-by and Geelong motorists, with many drivers' afternoons interrupted by the farewell, which slowed traffic considerably.

A MAN and a pregnant woman were rushed to hospital after a shooting on the Gold Coast believed to be linked to bikie gangs.

The man, 42, was shot in the shoulder at a house on the Tamborine-Oxenford Road at Wongawallan in the Gold Coast hinterland about 6.20pm after two men entered the property, reported the Courier Mail.

He was taken by ambulance to the Gold Coast Hospital.

The shooting is understood to be bikie-related. The victim and his partner were believed to have been tied up. A child was also present when the man was shot.




Officers from Taskforce Hydra, which investigates the activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs, were being called into the investigation.

Police regional duty officer Inspector Paul Reynolds said a man had been shot in the chest and had been taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

"It's in the very early stages of the investigation and we're still getting full versions from the people involved to ascertain exactly what happened," he said.

 A pregnant woman, 39, who was at the house, was also being taken to hospital 'as a precaution', a Department of Emergency Services spokeswoman said.

She said the man was in a stable condition.

Police are seeking public assistance in locating the two men who are believed to be driving a late 90s model white Holden utility, believed to be fitted with mag wheels and in good condition

Three more charges have been laid against a Rebels motorcycle gang member who already faced a charge of possessing methamphetamine for supply

.

Bernard Monk, 32, of Whangarei Heads, was again remanded in custody to re-appear in the Whangarei District Court for a bail application on July 1.

He was charged with possessing methamphetamine for supply, possessing precursor substances and resisting police when he first appeared in court on May 25.

Three more charges - possessing P for supply, assaulting police and wilfully obstructing/resisting/deceiving an officer were laid yesterday.

Possession of methamphetamine for supply, which is a class A drug, carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Monk entered no plea and was bailed to appear in Whangarei District Court on June 16.

Two others, Warren Henwood and Nicholas Nordstrand, who face similar charges, were remanded in custody and will also re-appear for a bail hearing on July 1.

A FINK and three Hells Angels associates have been arrested after a violent bikie brawl in Hindley St in May.

Police said 16 men had been charged now with aggravated riot after the fight at the City nightclub on May 29.

Members of the public dobbed in the latest men to be arrested, police said.

Crime Gangs Task Force Detective Inspector Steve Taylor said the investigations were ongoing and he thanked the public for their help.

"The response from the public to help identify those involved in this crime has been overwhelming," Det-Insp Taylor said.

"More than 5,500 people have watched the clip on www.youtube.com/sapolicenews .

"I'd like to thank members of the public for their help."

Police released images of two men who are still wanted in connection to the fight.




"If anyone knows these men, or has information on where they may be located, please contact BankSA Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," he said.

"Violent bikie behaviour will not be tolerated."

The four arrested men have been released on strict bail conditions and will be jointly charged with the initial twelve arrests.

Heavily armed police have raided four properties linked to an outlaw motorcycle gang in Melbourne's north this morning.

A senior member of the Nomad chapter of the Hell's Angels is in custody following the raids in Thomastown, Greensborough and Bundoora about 8am today.

Police are believed to have blasted their way into a heavily fortified property in Thomastown, believed to be the headquarters of the Nomad chapter.

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A Hell's Angels warehouse in Thomastown. Photo: File photo
"We were required to force entry to those premises. I can't really go into detail as to how we did it," Superintendent Doug Fryer told radio 3AW today.

"This is part of our ongoing focus around outlaw motorcycle gang criminality and certainly Victoria Police is continuing to take affirmative action to prevent, detect and disrupt organised criminality among OMCG clubs, an we will continue to do so."

Police are still searching the properties this morning.

suspicious fire at a tattoo shop in Perth's north has left an estimated $200,000 damage bill.

A suspicious fire at a tattoo shop in Perth's north has left an estimated $200,000 damage bill.

Firefighters were called to the parlour in Mullaloo about 1am (WST) on Sunday.

Police say the front window of the shop was smashed in and accelerant was thrown inside and set alight.

The shop is believed to be owned by a member of the Rebels bikie gang and police say they have not ruled out the possibility of outlaw motorcycle gangs being involved in the incident.

Neighbouring businesses were also damaged by the blaze, police said.

The arson squad were at the scene on Sunday to investigate the fire.

police Armed Offenders Squad were part of a raid on a Whangarei property where bags of methamphetamine were found and a patched Rebels motorcycle gang member was arrested.

The police Armed Offenders Squad were part of a raid on a Whangarei property where bags of methamphetamine were found and a patched Rebels motorcycle gang member was arrested.

Whangarei police busted their way into a Herekino St property on Friday where they found three men and bags of methamphetamine with a street value of up to $15,000.

No firearms were discovered at the property there was $4000 cash found.

Three local men were arrested and are jointly charged with possession of methamphetamine for supply. They were held in custody and were scheduled to appear in Whangarei District Court on Monday where police were opposing their bail.

Other drug related paraphernalia was found at the property.

Not on my patch, MP tells gangs

TOUGH-talking National MP Todd McClay is taking aim at the gangs.

The Rotorua-based MP wants to introduce a private member's bill that will ban gang patches from all property that government departments own or rent.

McClay intends to put his bill in the Parliamentary ballot this week and says once it is drawn its introduction is a formality, because he already has the numbers to vote it in.

"This is one more step towards making the life of gang members difficult," McClay told Sunday News.

"This is about recognising victims, the rights of victims, and putting them before criminals. It's one more step towards finding a way of getting rid of them because they are just criminal organisations as far as I am concerned."

He said his proposed law had been 18 months in the making, but when it was passed gangs would be stripped of the patches they wore.

"They wear their patches and other insignia as a mark of pride.

"It identifies the wearer as someone who is involved in crime, and who has probably had to commit crime for the right to wear that patch."

But his law would mean fines of up to $2000 for those who broke it.

It would also give police officers the right to confiscate and destroy patches and other insignia.

The High Court recently ruled a gang patch ban in Whanganui was unlawful.

That bylaw, introduced by the Whanganui council, had been in place for 18 months before it was struck out because it covered too much of the city.

McClay said his legislation had been written in a way to avoid legal challenges, clearly stating which buildings and property, including car parks, it would apply to.

Gang patches would be out in state-funded schools, hospitals, airports and government departments such as Winz, ACC, Housing NZ, Sport and Recreation NZ, Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Maori Development.

McClay said he was talking to officials from hospitals around the country, who told him it was common for gang members to wear their patches into wards when visiting family or friends.

"They may not necessarily have any intent while visiting, but it must be very uncomfortable for parents or staff caring for other sick children to see that," he said.

He was also aware of "intimidation" inflicted on workers in a range of government departments when visited by patch-wearing gang members.

The ban would stop short of banning patches from the 66,000 state houses owned or managed by Housing NZ and, while it would cover all buildings on Conservation Department property, it would not cover blocks of native bush.

"If a number of idiot gang members want to stand in the bush somewhere with their patches on, good on them," McClay said.

Opponents of the Whanganui bylaw argued it was a breach of civil rights and freedom of expression but McClay said he had no sympathy with those who were offended by his proposed legislation.

"I will put the rights of law-abiding citizens before criminals every day of the week. There will be those who will say it's an infringement but these are gangs, people who attack old ladies in the streets or sell drugs."

McClay said his bill would provide police with another "tool" to tackle gang-related crime.

 

POLICE will continue a manhunt for bikies involved in a brawl between the Hells Angels and the Finks.

Yesterday 170 Crime Gangs officers raided 20 homes and arrested 12 "patch" members or associates of the outlaw clubs who, police say, took part in a brawl at the City Nightclub, Hindley St, about 5am.

They were charged under the Aggravated Riot laws that carry a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.

The brawl took place just hours after the United Motorcycle Clubs staged a ride south of Adelaide to mark unity between bikie clubs.

Crime Gangs officers yesterday warned bikies not to seek reprisals and appealed to those associating with bikies to walk away before it was too late.

"Unless you want a life of violence, a life of crime where you are going to get a lot of attention from police and other gangs, I suggest you cut all ties to the club before it's too late," Detective Inspector Steve Taylor said. "The reality is, there's always opportunity for retaliations or reprisals, but the message is very simple from police  ...  (don't) engage in any sort of behaviour because we have a number of strategies in place to mitigate any risk."




Police say Sunday's brawl was sparked by a fight between a Hells Angels member and a Finks bikies outside The Firm nightclub, North Tce, an hour earlier. Both were arrested and charged over the fight.

The subsequent brawl, between 25 bikies, left four men in hospital - including one who had 16 staples in a head wound - and was captured on security vision handed to police.

Police say they uncovered a cache of weapons - including crossbows and knuckledusters - and illegal drugs, including amphetamines and steroids at the Finks' clubrooms and $16,500 in cash.

Insp Taylor said the violence was common among bikies.

"It's a stark contrast to the image (bikies) portrayed the day before with the (clubs) run when they portrayed an image of one of unity and camaraderie," he said. "The face we saw on Sunday morning is what we say is the true face of bikies."

The accused men were bailed to appear in court later.

Bikies arrested after SA nightclub brawl

Adelaide police have arrested 12 men connected with two bikie gangs after a violent brawl at a city nightclub was captured by security cameras.

Police said 13 members of the Hells Angels and 12 members of the Finks clashed violently about 5am on May 29 at the Hindley Street venue.

They attacked each other with bottles, glasses, metal bollards and heavy metal bar stools, with several members of the group suffering serious head injuries.


Detective Inspector Steve Taylor, from the Crime Gangs Task Force, said the incident showed the true nature of the relationship between bikie gangs.

While they had recently portrayed themselves as law-abiding citizens who were united in the fight against SA's anti-gang laws, the opposite was actually the truth, he said.

"These pictures show members of motorcycle gangs are not ordinary citizens who ride motorcycles on weekends as a fun get together," Det Insp Taylor said.

"They are not unified, they are violent offenders who have no problem playing out their differences in public.

"This violence has included shootings, bombings and stabbings."

Det Insp Taylor said it was lucky no one was killed in the latest incident.

No arrests were made on the night, with police launching a major investigation involving about 170 officers.

They raided clubrooms operated by both the Finks and the Hells Angels on Friday.

Those arrested included seven members of the Finks, including the club's sergeant-at-arms, one member of the Hells Angels and four people associated with the Hells Angels.

They were all charged with aggravated riot, a recently introduced offence which carries a 10-year maximum jail term.

The 12 were granted police bail on strict conditions and will appear in court at a later date.