Saturday, April 21, 2012

AUSTRALIA - Two houses shot up, police van torched as bikie war escalates.

OFF THE WIRE
STEPHANIE GARDINER
 blayneychronicle.com.au

A bikie war between two rival clubs has escalated overnight, with senior members of the Nomads targeted in what police suspect are reprisal attacks for attacks on the Hells Angels gang.

Two more properties in Sydney's north-west were sprayed with bullets overnight and a police van, understood to have been conducting surveillance on a Newtown tattoo parlour, was destroyed by fire.

The Skin Deep tattoo parlour on King Street in Newtown is owned by former Nomads boss Scott Orrock.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Mal Lanyon today said the two houses were linked to the Nomads.

Police were called to a house on Greensborough Avenue, Rouse Hill, about midnight after reports of a shooting.

They found bullet holes in the house and casings lying on the street.

About 20 minutes later police were called to a house on Ashburn Close, Bella Vista - less than 10 kilometres away - after several shots were fired into a house.

People were in both houses at the time of the shootings, but no one was injured.

Mr Lanyon said a catalyst for such a dispute was usually a drug turf war between rival groups, but denied it was centred on any single area such as Kings Cross.

"The distribution of drugs by outlaw motorcycle gangs is not confined to any one area," he said.

"There has been the movement of a number of members between groups that is bringing conflict."

Such a "patch over" between members of both the Hells Angels and Nomads was a significant part of the conflict but it was only one reason the groups might be at war, he said.

Deputy Police Commissioner Nick Kaldas said the latest shootings appeared to be linked to those earlier this week.

"It certainly appears that way at the moment, but obviously we've got to let the investigation take its course," he told ABC Radio.

Mr Kaldas said the string of shootings was "nothing new", with ebbs and flows in gun crime over the past couple of years.

The overnight shootings are the 10th and 11th in a week, with two tattoo parlours and three houses shot up in the early hours of Tuesday.

On Monday, police were called to Driftway Drive, Pemulwuy, after several rounds were fired into a Mazda CX7 and a nearby house.

The day before, a 24-year-old man went to Concord Hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg.

On Saturday afternoon, former Comanchero Darko Janceski was shot dead outside his parents' house on Gannet Avenue, Berkeley, south of Sydney.

Later that day shots were fired towards a townhouse on Chiswick Road, Greenacre.

Police urged anyone with information to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Recent Sydney shootings

April 17 - Shots were fired into Tattoo World in Baulkham Hills and Infamous Ink in Merrylands, as well as three homes in Merrylands, Northmead and Granville.

April 16 - Bullet holes were found in a Mazda CX7 on Driftway Drive, Pemulwuy, and a nearby house. The residents were away and police believed it was a case of mistaken identity.

April 15 - A 24-year-old man went to Concord Hospital with a gunshot wound. He told police an unknown person in a white sedan had approached him and shot him in the leg.

April 14 -Darko Janceski, 32, was shot dead in Berkeley, on the south coast, when a gunman on a motorcycle appeared outside his father's house. Shots were fired into a townhouse on Chiswick Road, Greenacre.

April 10 - Man found at Guildford Road, Guildford, with a gunshot wound to his lower abdomen.

April 9 - Man shot in the shoulder at Bada Bing Nightspot on Darlinghurst Road in Kings Cross.

April 8 - Man shot in the calf in Pendle Hill during party dispute, while another man admitted to Auburn Hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg.

April 6 - Man shot in his legs multiple times at Patten Avenue, Merrylands.

April 4 - Shot fired at a vehicle on Chester Road, Ingleburn. A few hours later, one shot was fired into a Norton Place home in Minto.

April 2 - Man grazed in the neck by bullet at a home on Hawkview Street, Merrylands.

April 1 - Man shot in the leg near Fraser Street, Auburn.

March 28 - Shots fired into a business on Marsh Street, Clyde.

March 21 - Two men shot near Hoxton Park and Banks Roads in Miller.

March 19 - Woman shot in the face at Prairie Vale Road, Bossley Park.

March 16 - Fired bullet casings found at intersection of Salibury Road and Rhodes Avenue in Guildford.

March 13 - Shots fired into a house on Princes Street, Bexley.

March 7 - A man wearing dark clothing and a hoodie was seen running away after shooting bullets into Tattoo World, Baulkham Hills.

February 25 - A man waved two pistols above his head before firing a shot in the air outside Mount Druitt police station. A police officer responded with a single shot, which wounded the man. February 6 - A 29-year-old man was shot three times in the leg on Christian Road, Punchbowl.

February 1 - Two bullets hit Lurnea Public School. Police believe they were stray bullets from a drive-by shooting.

January 26 - Bullets fired into tanning salon, man shot in the leg in Guildford and 18-year-old man shot in the back and treated at Auburn Hospital.

January 17 - Wetherill Park home peppered with bullets.

January 12 - Shots were fired into a house in Weigand Avenue, Bankstown, with a bullet reportedly narrowly missing a baby's cot.

January 11 - Shots were fired between two cars after some kind of altercation at an intersection in Greenfield Park, with several bullets hitting a nearby home.

January 9 - Shots were fired into a house on Marion Street, Auburn, about 9.45pm. Ten minutes later, shots were fired into a house on Fairview Street, Arncliffe. The Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad was investigating whether the shootings were linked to drug dealing in the St George area.

January 6 - A man suffered two gunshot wounds at the intersection of Larra Street and The Promenade, Yennora.

January 4 - Lone Wolf bikie, Neal Todorovski, 37, was shot dead outside a Sans Souci apartment block.

January 1 - Matthew Hedges, a 25-year-old father of four, was shot in the chest and died, while two of his children slept beside him in Chester Hill.

December 5 - A father and his teenage son escaped injury after a shot was fired into a house in Mount Pritchard.

November 26 - Shots were fired on Charles Street, Petersham.

November 25 - Shots were fired at a house on Kingarth Street, Busby.

November 24 - Shots were fired at a house on Nash Street, South Penrith.

November 24 - Shots were fired at a business on Cleveland and Walker streets, Redfern.

November 10 - Shots were fired at a house on Nineveh Crescent, Greenfield Park.

November 6 - Shots were fired at a house on Stevens Street, Ermington.

October 27 - November 3 - Six drive-by shootings across Sydney's west, believed to involve the Hells Angels and Nomads gangs.

October 21 - Man dies after he was shot in the head inside a house in French Street, Maroubra.

October 18 - Shots were fired at a house on Walker Street, Turrella.

October 3 - Man was charged after allegedly shooting at another man on Pickwick Way, Ambarvale.

September 30 - Man was charged after an alleged drive-by shooting on Victoria Street, Botany.

September 29 - Police officers shot and killed a man outside Castle Hill police station.

September 26 - Teenager was shot by police in his home in Holmes Street, Colyton, following reported break-in.

September 26 - Man was charged with murder following the shooting death of man at Bonnyrigg the day before.

September 6 - Shots were fired at a house in Revesby in south-west Sydney.

September 6 - Shots were fired at a unit in Eden Street, Arncliffe.

September 5 - Man found in Bursill Street, Guildford, with a shotgun wound to his upper thigh.

August 30 - Up to a dozen shots were fired between two cars in Greenacre.

August 25 - Bullet holes were found in a car on Lackey Street, Merrylands.

August 24 - Bullets hit a house on Francis Street, Fairfield.

August 22 - Pizza shop was hit on Merrylands Road, Merrylands.

August 22 - Two men were shot in Barcom Street, Merrylands, in a domestic dispute.

August 23 - Bullets hit a house on Lachlan Street, Bossley Park.

August 21 - Bullets hit a house on Eddy Street, Merrylands West.

August 20 - Bullets hit a hairdressing salon on Harris Street, Fairfield.

August 19 - Bullets hit a house on Mallacoota Street, Wakeley, near Fairfield.