OFF THE WIRE
BY: Susan Lazaruk
Source: theprovince.com
A cache of weapons seized from the vehicle of a full-patch Hells Angels member near Salmon Arm -- including loaded guns, ammo, knives, bear spray, a baseball bat and balaclavas -- shows the organization is more than just a group of fun-loving "rowdy rebels."
"If you look at the weapons that were found, the question is: Why would somebody in a club of peace-loving motorcycle enthusiasts need that kind of weaponry?" said Julian Sher, the author of several books on the Hells Angels.
"I think it's fair to say they were up to no good," said RCMP Staff Sgt. Kevin Keane of the Salmon Arm detachment.
Four men, now in custody, were arrested after an RCMP traffic officer working by himself near Salmon Arm pulled over a rental vehicle for speeding on Highway 1 around 11 p.m. Thursday.
"It was snowing and the roads were under winter conditions and these people were going down the road pretty quick," said Keane.
The traffic officer smelled marijuana smoke coming from the vehicle and a search turned up an array of prohibited weapons and other items: two handguns and eight ammo cartridges, a revolver and six bullets, a sawed-off shotgun and three shotgun bullets, four knives, a baseball bat, an axe handle, a can of bear spray, a bulletproof vest, two balaclavas, a walkie-talkie set, a radio jammer capable of blocking cellphone transmissions, six cell-phones, Hells Angels insignia and a baggie of marijuana.
"All persons arrested are associated to the Hells Angels motorcycle club and were sporting insignia of the Hells Angels organization," Keane said in a release.
The loaded weapons were within reach of the men in the vehicle, he said. One of the guns was registered to one of the occupants.
Possession of a shotgun that has been sawed off shorter than 18 inches is prohibited in Canada. Sawing off the barrel makes the shotgun easier to conceal and quicker to shoot, and also increases the chance of a shooter finding the target even if the aim is off because the shot spreads out over a greater area.
Arrested and charged with various weapons offences are Joseph "Bruce" Skreptak, 43; Cory Montemurro, 40; Carl Ennis, 39; and Dennis Miner, 35, all of Kelowna.
It's not known which of the four was driving. According to B.C. court records, Skreptak has more than a dozen speeding violations across the province dating back to 1995, while Montemurro and Miner had about a half-dozen each. Ennis had one speeding violation.
The four men remain in custody in RCMP cells in Salmon Arm awaiting their next court appearance this week, said Keane.
Forensic investigators were examining the weapons for any clues yesterday and officers from the Integrated Gang Task Force were also investigating, said Keane.
Skreptak, a full-patch HA member and credited by Kelowna police years ago as being one of the founding members of the club's Kelowna chapter, had his Kelowna house busted as a marijuana grow-op in 2005.
Skreptak's truck was parked outside the house but he denied any knowledge of the grow-op, instead blaming tenants, and charges were never laid.
Police said Skreptak's fellow Hells Angels would likely have seen the grow-op incident as a sign of carelessness.
Sher said the same could be said of these four, who failed to follow the cardinal rule when engaged in illegal activity of obeying the speed limit.
"It's delightful that a member of the Hells Angels shows their IQ is about the same size as their neck size," said Sher.
"People always get a laugh when they win the stupid criminal of the week award."
slazaruk@theprovince.com
Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/They+were+good+RCMP/3895481/story.html#ixzz16bDspq6y
