Hells Angels promote clubhouse just outside Peterborough. Ontario police are watching

globalnews.ca:

Hells Angels are not hiding the fact they are in the Peterborough, Ont., area.Sitting atop a hill on Lily Lake Road, just on the northwest outskirts of the city, is a house with a sign with the biker gang’s insignia and a bright red and white sign with “Hells Angels” attached to the front.Peter Edwards, the organized crime reporter with the Toronto Star and an author of several books on organized crime, says it’s a “significant” indication the Hells Angels mean business in the area after likely “testing the market.”“I’m not really surprised,” said Edwards. “Peterborough is significant, it’s almost surprising it didn’t get a chapter before this.”Formerly the house in Selwyn Township (part of Peterborough County) has featured insignia of the “Bad Boyz MC” and “Red Devils MC Peterborough,” changing to “Hells Angels” earlier this month.Edwards surmises they were motorcycle clubs which were “testing the waters,” for the “world’s largest outlaw motorcycle club or gang.”“Those other clubs would be testing the waters — they’d be junior support clubs,” said Edwards.

“Just like the NHL has the American Hockey League and the East Coast Hockey League, Hells Angeles have these guys.“They were testing the market and authorities and they passed their tests. They decided they are worth planting something there.”As to what would make Peterborough city and county attractive to the motorcycle gang, Edwards says the area’s location “midway” between Toronto and Montreal makes it a “major pathway” to access and exit, if needed.“This isn’t the boondocks for them.

This is right in a major pathway. It’s frankly a smart move by them.”Edwards says the city being a “university town” with Trent University and Fleming College also offers potential