OFF THE WIRE
Clementine Cuneo
theaustralian.com.au
A POLICE paddy wagon parked outside a tattoo shop was torched just hours after a high-profile bikie member allegedly threatened to "blow it up”.
The marked vehicle was parked on King St at Newtown for several hours after midnight, before it was set on fire.
The Telegraph can reveal a well-known bikie made “multiple complaints and threats” to officers at Newtown police station, and demanded the vehicle be moved, or it would be blown up.
About 3am police and fire crews were called to the location, after the vehicle was found alight.
A senior police source said the matter was under investigation this morning.
The torching came just hours after two homes were targeted in drive-by shootings including one with residents known to police.
A house in nearby Rouse Hill was also shot at, although police said the current occupants are not bikie-related, but the former residents were.
NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Nick Kaldas said additional police would patrol the streets this weekend, in case of any pay back shootings.
“We will have a very focused effort, particularly in view of reprisal attacks,” Mr Kaldas said.
Strike Force Kinnara, which was set up earlier this week in response to five shootings on Monday, will investigate this mornings two shootings, which Mr Kaldas said are both linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs.
Mr Kaldas said the scaremongering tactics used by the gunmen were cowardly.
“Instead of having a punch up with a man face-to-face, they wait until he goes to bed, then shoot up his house knowing his wife and children are asleep in there,” Mr Kaldas said.
He said although there has been a recent spike in the number of drive-by shootings, it needs to be kept in context.
“This is not new. This has been going on for over 10 years, but we are doing everything we can to stop it,” Mr Kaldas said.
