Fight between rival motorcycle gangs in Cambridge leads to five arrests, more than a dozen charges

A fight between rival outlaw motorcycle gangs has led to multiple arrests, more than a dozen charges and the seizure of 17 firearms.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said they launched an investigation after a robbery in Cambridge on Sept. 21.

Detective Inspector Scott Wade from the OPP’s Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau Biker Enforcement Unit would not specify exactly where the robbery happened, but says it was in a public place in the city.

“The Biker Enforcement Unit was contacted because there was a violent confrontation between rival motorcycle gangs. We worked collaboratively with frontline OPP Highway Safety Division officers and Waterloo Regional Police during our investigation to identify the suspects responsible for the robbery. That resulted in search warrants at various locations across the province.”

Wade said during the confrontation, members of the Hells Angels took the vests of rival gang members.

“What’s mostly concerning about this incident was that it happened in a public place. There were members of the public there, people driving by, families, children – we don’t know. Luckily nobody was injured.”

As part of the investigation, officers executed two search warrants in Cambridge and Kitchener on Oct. 17. with the assistance of Waterloo Regional Police.

Two additional search warrants were completed on Oct. 24 in Seaforth and Whitby with help from the Huron/Perth OPP Community Street Crime Unit and Durham Regional Police Service.

The searches resulted in the seizure of 17 firearms, a prohibited device known as a ‘get back whip’, ammunition, nine magazines, multiple cell phones, unknown pills, stolen property, Possession and Acquisition Licences from two Hells Angels members and three Hells Angels vests.

In total, five people are facing 14 charges.

Four have been arrested; they have since been released and are scheduled to appear in court in Kitchener on November 26.

Wade said collaboration between police departments is essential to ensuring this kind of large-scale investigation is successful.

“The Biker Enforcement Unit is a Joint Forces Operation, or a JFO as we call it,” he explained.

“We have 20 other policing organizations across the province that are our partners. In addition to those we have partners with every police service in Ontario. Luckily, we have the ability to utilize partnerships and collaboration to further these investigations. They’d be impossible without the collaboration of our partners and police agencies.”

Who was involved?

Wade confirmed the Hells Angels were involved in the fight alongside an associated group known as The Red Devils.

“The Red Devils is an associate group, or a puppet group, of the Hells Angels and they are very closely aligned, and they work together all the time. The victims of the robbery was a rival outlaw motorcycle gang.”

Wade did not name the rival gang.

“This is just an example of the violence that’s involved with these criminal outlaw motorcycle gangs and the reasons the public should keep their distance and realize that they are criminal outlaw motorcycle gangs. We don’t want to paint all motorcycle enthusiasts with the same picture, but these are definitely different. They are involved in violent crime and we don’t think the public needs to be concerned about it but we want them to be aware of it.”

Four people were arrested during the investigation while police are still looking for one other suspect.

A 39-year-old man from Kitchener has been charged with robbery and possession of property obtained by crime.

A 38-year-old Cambridge man has been charged with robbery, possession of property obtained by crime and theft under $5,000.

A 36-year-old man from Whitby has been charged with robbery and disguise with intent.

A 34-year-old man from Seaforth has been charged with robbery, possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, theft under $5,000, contravention of storage regulations and unauthorized possession of a weapon.

Police are still looking for one other person, a 29-year-old Northumberland County man, who is wanted on a robbery charge. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.