Weapons seized in police bid to curb violence

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33753, 28 January 1975, Page 1

Weapons seized in police bid to curb violence

Police seized about a dozen weapons and made seven arrests in the last few days in an attempt to clamp down on motor-cycle gang warfare in Christchurch.

rhe weapons, which include iron bars and chains, were taken during searches of vehicles and premises occupied by motor-cyclists.

The searches were made after a man was shot in the back and another beaten up during a clash between rival motor-cycle gangs on Saturday evening. A man appeared in the

I Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged with assault with intent to injure during the incident. Although no-one has been charged with the shooting. Detective Inspector J. W. Wooders said last evening that'the police had a definite lead and were hopeful of an arrest. The man who was shot, Michael James Anquetil, aged 21. was in a comfortable condition in The Princess Margaret Hospital last evening, recovering from an operation to remove a bullet from the lower part of his back. The acting head of the Christchurch Police District (Superintendent J. A. Jamieson) said that during the week-end the police had searched premises known to be occupied by gang members, to try to eliminate the violence. No firearms had been

(found, but the searches were {continuing, he said. The trend to use weapons, (especially firearms, in such incidents was very serious, because bystanders were liable to get hurt. ( "We are taking firm steps to contain the situation and to eliminate this violence, which has become almost inIsane,” said Superintendent | Jamieson. Three motor-cyclists were ;j arrested for having weapons in a car, and three others 1 were arrested during another incident, he said. They would | probably apnear in the Mag- ' istrate’s Court on Thursday. The shooting on Saturday ’ was the latest incident in a ’ series of attacks and reprisal ‘ raids between the two motorcycle gangs, the Devil’s . Henchmen and the Epitaph (Riders. (| Clashes between the two ( gangs began late in 1973. and I 'built up to a state of open warfare in August. Firearms ' were used in several raids, j and an Epitaph Rider was ' shot in an eye. On Christmas Eve, a ■ Devil’s Henchman died after (being stabbed.