Police are warning residents to be wary of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs (OMGs) after a suspected arson in Brockville that damaged several homes.
Officers from the OPP’s Biker Enforcement Unit (BEU) say gang members often carry weapons, and that you should avoid approaching them.
They also caution against wearing gang-related clothing, to avoid being targeted.
“While 99 per cent of motorcycle enthusiasts are law abiding, OMG members believe that they are the one per cent that live outside the law,” an OPP news release reads. “OMGs are criminal organizations whose activities cause harm and victimization in communities across Ontario. These profit-driven activities include fraud, drug trafficking, human trafficking, assaults, intimidation and murder”
BEU officers are assisting police in Cornwall and Brockville with investigations into two gangs, calling themselves the “Outlaws” and the “Loners.”
Violence broke out between the two in Cornwall Saturday evening and three people were injured, two with stab wounds and one with gunshot wounds. Five people were arrested.
Afterwards, a building associated with the Outlaws in Brockville was burned in a fire on Monday. Police are treating the incident as arson.
Officers haven’t confirmed whether the two incidents are connected, and no arrests have been made yet in the fire case.
You can report any suspected crime related to an OMG by calling the Outlaw Biker Hotline at 1-877-660-4321.