Making a Safe Exit !

 Criminal bikie gangs maintain a crime wave across many cities and their activities are closely monitored by the police.  Recently, information reached police ears that a member of the Finks gang had pawned a quantity of jewellery, a motorcycle and a boat with a Riverstone pawnbroker in exchange for a $11,500 cash advance.

There was a degree of mystery about the ownership of these goods. When a bikie elects to leave a club in which he is a member it is usual to impose a substantial exit fee.  It seems that this departing member actually owed his club money and this caused the club hierarchy to approach the pawnbroker and demand the jewellery be handed over.

Intimidation was threatened and the request was refused, and that caused the police to raid  seven bikie , homes in Chatswood, North Richmond, north St Marey,s, Tregear, Bidwell and Raymond Terrace.  What they discovered at these locations was knuckledusters, nineteen explosive devices, two firearms, a motorcycle engine, outlaw motorcycle gang clothing and a small amount of cannabis and steroids..

Police allege the bikies sought to extort the pawnbroker to recover money their member owed to the club. The man who is the president of that Finks chapter is an avid body builder and has been a finalist in various competitions and boasts an extensive male modelling history according to his press releases.

He has been charged with  demanding property in company, with intend to steal, intimidating to cause fear of physical harm, participating in a criminal group and not keeping a firearm safely.  He was refused bail at Parramatta local court and will again appear on June 7.

This is a timely warning to young men thinking of joining a bikie gang because of the good life it offers. His modelling portfolio describes him as an experienced model who feels very strongly about personal appearances and is open to a wide variety of photo shoots.

He was also charged with contravening a court order preventing him from associating with other bikie gang members and all these charges will be answered when he next appears in court.  It tends to illustrate the complexity of withdrawing from a bikie gang and the costs that will be involved.

Bikie gangs are usually involved in drug distribution and the penalties that apply,  The average member spends a lot of time in court and usually much longer behind prison bars.  The nature of the club activities  makes interest by the police inevitable.

This sad case of the harassment of a legitimate pawnbroker brings to focus the exceptional obligations expected of members choosing to quit their club and move onwards.  Farewells are much more -onerous than a mere shaking of hands at departure.- and that is rarely clearly understood at the time of joining the club.