OFF THE WIRE
Matthew Schulz
Source: heraldsun.com.au
Australia - OUTLAW bikies are believed to have been behind a road rage attack on a man who dared to overtake them on their way to Melbourne. Police have called on witnesses to come forward, but the man whose car was damaged in the attack along the Hume Hwy is believed to be badly shaken.
All but one panel of his green Holden SSV Commodore was kicked in.
The Saturday, March 20 incident coincided with a mass visit to Melbourne later that day by the NSW-based Comancheros to celebrate the creation of their first year in their new headquarters in South Melbourne.
Police said most of the vehicles carried NSW plates, but they could not confirm the identity of the bikers.
According to police, the weekend attack happened along the Hume Hwy near Glenrowan, when the man attempted to overtake the group comprising up to 70 motorcycles and several cars about 10.55am.
The driver told police he had been stuck behind the group, which had taken up both lanes and were travelling much less than the 110km/h limit.
"When the male driver took the opportunity to pass the convoy by passing in the left hand side emergency lane he was pursued by several of the cars and forced to stop in the left lane of the highway," Sgt Adrian Keltie said today.
Attackers then leapt from the cars, surrounding the Commodore and kicking in all but one of the panels.
Once the car was trashed the attackers, continued their slow journey south towards Melbourne.
The Comancheros rolled into the city later in the day, where one of the country's most feared bikie groups partied with strippers, podium dancers and loud music.
They converged on the gang's headquarters, a leased warehouse in Thistlethwaite St, South Melbourne, which underwent a security upgrade for the party.
The Comancheros have gained notoriety for some of the worst bikie-related crimes in Australia's history.
The gang was involved in the 1984 Milperra shootout in Sydney in which six bikies and a 14-year-old girl died.
Last year, several members were charged with murder, riot and affray after a brawl in which a man was killed at Sydney airport.
And two Comanchero bikies were arrested earlier this month in an investigation into the seizure of 5kg of methylamphetamine.
The bikie gang is most prominent in New South Wales, but has been expanding over the past few years.
The incident comes days after Opposition Leader Ted Ballieu vowed to outlaw bikie gangs.
Mr Baillieu said the Brumby Government had turned Victoria into a bikie haven by refusing to outlaw them.
"Criminal bikie gangs are already setting up shop in Victoria after relocating from other states, which have introduced or intend to introduce laws banning these gangs," he said before their arrival.
"Victorian families need protection from bikie gangs engaged in serious criminal activity such as drug production and trafficking, violence, blackmail, extortion, arson and intimidation, and represent a major threat to public safety and order."
