POLICE fear outlaw motorcycle gangs will harass smaller social motorcycle clubs in a bid to arm themselves.
Authorities seized weapons from members of social clubs in August, concerned that larger groups such as the Hells Angels, Comancheros or the Bandidos might stand over them for weapons.
Yesterday, Benalla builder and farmer Thomas Finnie won back his firearms licence.
His guns were seized by Echo taskforce detectives because of his membership of the Derelicts Motorcycle Club, a group of 13, formed in 1968.
"If we were like a building, we'd be heritage-listed," Mr Finnie told the Firearms Appeal Committee.
The 56-year-old told the committee he was once fined $2000 after police seized a small amount of drugs while he worked as a truck driver.
But he avoided larger motorcycle clubs, and the Derelicts were more interested in looking after their families, he said.
Mr Finnie used the seized guns to control a fox problem on his 100ha property.
Gerard Maguire, for the Chief Commissioner, said: "There's no allegation of systemic criminality in relation to the Derelicts."
How worrying is it that they're now seizing your guns "just in case" some criminal who you're not involved with approaches you for them. By that logic the whole country's next.
I don't know anything about the guy personally obviously, but a club of 13 riders formed 45 years ago hardly sounds like a criminal enterprise to me.
Good to hear an innocent guy got his license back eventually though. Source.