Expansionism - Hell's Angels Style

• NCJ Number: 76942
• Journal: Police Chief Volume: 48 Issue: 5 Dated: (May 1981) Pages: 38-40,69,78
• Author(s): K E Reid
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article compares and contrasts the activities of motorcycle gangs in the United States, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, England, Canada, and Australia and describes problems they present.

Abstract

Motorcycle gangs began in California in the mid-1940's and later moved into other areas of the United States and finally into other countries. The Hell's Angels gang has expanded to include many respectable businessmen who have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in quick-profit criminal activities. The organization has set up operations in several parts of England, in Holland, Germany, Denmark, Australia, and Canada. Dutch chapter members in Amsterdam dress like their American counterparts but are not considered by Amsterdam police to be a problem. In Germany, however, Hell's Angels members are involved in a variety of criminal activities including narcotics, prostitution, and protection rackets. Denmark has a fairly large population of motorcycle gangs, and gang members in Copenhagen are involved in narcotics, prostitution, protection rackets, extortion, illegal arms sales and assaults and rapes. The French and Belgian motorcycle gangs are not seen as presenting a problem by local police. England has probably the largest membership of Hell's Angels outside of the United States, and members are involved in narcotics and motorcycle theft. In Australia, motorcycle gangs including Hell's Angels present a major problem and are extensively involved in narcotics, prostitution, major armed robberies, fencing operations, assaults, the theft of Harley Davidson motorcycles, and the sale of amphetamines. In Canada, the largest Hell's Angels chapter, Satan's Choice, combines its organization with that of the Outlaws motorcycle gang and provides most of the methamphetamine on Canadian streets. The development of motorcycle gang chapters abroad may be slowed by such factors as a different political environment, more flexibility by police, a less tolerant citizenry, and different economic conditions. Several footnotes are included.