Big Dave
25th July 2005, 23:15
$11,000 Honda torched in showroom
By Jano Gibson
SMH.com
An $11,000 motorcycle was deliberately torched at a Sydney motorbike showroom early yesterday but police say the incident is not linked to a spate of bikie gang reprisal attacks.
In June, a stolen prime mover was driven into a Harley Davidson shop in Blacktown and then set alight, causing about $1 million in damage.
Less than 24 hours later, a stolen truck was smashed into a motorcycle bodywork business in Homebush before it too was torched.
The copy-cat attacks were linked to a feud between the Nomads and the Rebels bikie gangs.
In the most recent incident, a rag doused with accelerant was thrown through a broken window at the A1 Road and Race Motorcycles shop in Arncliffe about 2.30am yesterday.
The rag landed near a second-hand Honda CBR 900 Fireblade, valued at $11,000, before being set alight.
Fire crews put out the small blaze, which destroyed the bike but caused only smoke damage to the rest of the shop.
"We got away with it pretty lightly. They basically targeted just the one bike," the shop's manager, Jim Petkos, said.
He said the destroyed bike had just been sold.
Police ruled out any connection with the previous bikie gang attacks.
"We are treating them as separate investigations. [There is] nothing to suggest they are linked at all," Inspector Michael McLean said.
But Mr Petkos said police were initially concerned there might have been a link.
"The first question the coppers asked us was if we had any affiliation to the bikies," he said.
He said his business had nothing to do with bikie gangs.
"We are a small shop run by three people. We have got no dramas with no one," Mr Petkos said.
Detectives are continuing with their investigations but have no firm leads, Inspector McLean said.
By Jano Gibson
SMH.com
An $11,000 motorcycle was deliberately torched at a Sydney motorbike showroom early yesterday but police say the incident is not linked to a spate of bikie gang reprisal attacks.
In June, a stolen prime mover was driven into a Harley Davidson shop in Blacktown and then set alight, causing about $1 million in damage.
Less than 24 hours later, a stolen truck was smashed into a motorcycle bodywork business in Homebush before it too was torched.
The copy-cat attacks were linked to a feud between the Nomads and the Rebels bikie gangs.
In the most recent incident, a rag doused with accelerant was thrown through a broken window at the A1 Road and Race Motorcycles shop in Arncliffe about 2.30am yesterday.
The rag landed near a second-hand Honda CBR 900 Fireblade, valued at $11,000, before being set alight.
Fire crews put out the small blaze, which destroyed the bike but caused only smoke damage to the rest of the shop.
"We got away with it pretty lightly. They basically targeted just the one bike," the shop's manager, Jim Petkos, said.
He said the destroyed bike had just been sold.
Police ruled out any connection with the previous bikie gang attacks.
"We are treating them as separate investigations. [There is] nothing to suggest they are linked at all," Inspector Michael McLean said.
But Mr Petkos said police were initially concerned there might have been a link.
"The first question the coppers asked us was if we had any affiliation to the bikies," he said.
He said his business had nothing to do with bikie gangs.
"We are a small shop run by three people. We have got no dramas with no one," Mr Petkos said.
Detectives are continuing with their investigations but have no firm leads, Inspector McLean said.