So-called motorcycle support or “puppet” clubs are forming across B.C., expanding the Hells Angel’s reach, police say. Photo by RICHARD LAM /PNG

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New motorcycle clubs linked to the notorious Hells Angels are springing up in the province, worrying police who believe the older gang is expanding its reach.

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Staff Sgt Lindsey Houghton, of the Combined Forces Anti-Gang Special Enforcement Unit, says there are now about 30 support or “puppet” clubs in BC, compared to 10 Hells Angels chapters. “There have been four or five new sightings in the Lower Mainland in the last year,” he said. “The farm group system for HAs is very much alive and well.” Among the new groups are the Smoke Show, a female equestrian group, the Commandos, and another called Krusherz. Houghton said six of the roughly 30 support clubs “are self-identified one percenters, so they wear the little one percent diamond on their leather vest.” That means they identify as “illegal” motorcycle clubs, he said, an expression that dates back to the formation of the Hells Angels in 1948.

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After more than two years of COVID restrictions, the Hells Angels and their supporters are hosting major “rides” and other events that had been canceled throughout the pandemic. This has allowed the police to gather information on how the cycling landscape has changed. Many of the new puppet shows are featured at Hells Angels events, Houghton said. “The concern, as these clubs proliferate, is that people in these clubs will continually reaffirm their allegiance and their allegiance and their subservience to the Hells Angels,” Houghton said. Patch of the Shadow Club, a Hells Angels BC puppet theater based in Whalley, with Commandos RC patch, right. Photo from Submitted photo He said the Hells Angels, subject to ongoing criminal cases and a variety of charges including conspiracy to murder and importing cocaine, find puppet clubs useful.

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“Often in support clubs, these are people who some people think are reporting normal people without quotes with normal jobs,” he said. “They work in various industries. They work for the government. They may have access to information.” “Hells Angels and other OMGs (outlaw motorcycle clubs) look for these people in these groups so they can infiltrate and exploit them. And the concern for us is always the access to information, the risk to public safety, the risks to privacy.” Sinful Kings Puppet Club patch, left, and Krusherz RC, right. Photo from Submitted photo He cited a United Nations gang partner who contacted ICBC to seek addresses of people at the BC Institute of Justice and then launched a series of raids on their homes a decade ago. He was eventually arrested and pleaded guilty. Postmedia contacted Hells Angels BC spokesperson Rick Ciarniello about the support groups. He didn’t respond.

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Last week, Houghton said the Throttle Lockers puppet show, which had tried to expand into Kamloops, effectively collapsed after a major CFSEU ​​drug investigation led to charges against two former members and an associate. Other puppet theaters have also become the target of criminal investigations. Devil’s Army President Richard Alexander is facing a charge of first-degree murder in the 2016 killing of John Dillon Brown on Vancouver Island. His trial is scheduled for February 2023. A Krusherz member’s Instagram account promoted a fundraising campaign for Alexander’s legal fees. Silverback Guerrillas RC patch, left, and Sinister RC, right. Patches for so-called motorcycle support clubs that police say are forming across B.C., expanding the reach of the Hells Angels. Photo from Submitted photo Brad Stephen, a retired Vancouver Police biker specialist, said puppet clubs weren’t common in BC until the last decade, “because of the fact that they’re kind of a conduit to the Hells Angels and there are some vulnerabilities there.”

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“I think the perception from the Hells Angels was that it’s an easier way to get infiltrated by the police or some nefarious other players in the underworld.” In recent years, however, the upside for cyclists has outweighed the danger. Stephen said the Hells Angels use the support clubs to evaluate potential members who could be promoted to HA. “They can observe their faith on the street. They can notice their cruelty. They can observe their ability to make money. And it is, it’s really a recruiting process,” he said. There is a hierarchy in the puppet clubs, which must obtain permission from the Hells Angels to start with a one-piece patch on their vests, then a two-piece patch, and finally a three-piece patch, such as this “full patch” worn by its members HA, Stephen said.

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“And then the top tier is a three-piece patch with MC and one percent,” Stephen said. “This is the premier puppet club… there are probably four or five of these premier clubs in BC” Puppetry clubs try to appease the Angels. Some ultimately want access to the bikers’ criminal network, he said. “They’re very motivated and willing to help with anniversary parties, Hells Angel runs with safety, traffic control. They will provide bar service, car service. They will often be non-drinkers at parties,” said Stephen. “Basically, they’re the lackeys of the club.” [email protected] Twitter.com/kbolan More news, less ads: Our in-depth journalism is made possible by the support of our subscribers. For just $3.50 a week, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to the Vancouver Sun, The Province, the National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

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