Victoria police have arrested senior members of the Rebels bikie gang after they allegedly assaulted a man who had waved at a speeding motorbike on his street to slow down.
Detectives say the victim was working on his own vehicle outside his North Bendigo home one evening in mid-May when a motorbike sped past and “the man waved for the bike to slow down”.
Three men arrived at the address a short time later in two utes and assaulted the man, police alleged on Thursday.
The victim’s partner heard the fracas and came outside before all three attackers fled the scene, it is alleged. The resident was taken to hospital with significant but non-life threatening injuries.
Detectives raided three homes in North Bendigo and Epsom as well as a clubhouse in Long Gully on Thursday morning. They arrested a North Bendigo man, 49, alleged to be the chapter president of the Rebels, a 28-year-old Epsom man, alleged to be a serjeant at arms and another Epsom man, 25, alleged to be a patched member of the club.
Det Acting Insp Ash Ryan alleged the May incident involved “an unprovoked and callous assault on a completely innocent member of the public simply going about his own business”.
“It is utterly unacceptable [alleged] behaviour and it will not be tolerated,” Ryan said.
“We will not allow our regional communities to be intimidated by OMCGs [outlaw motorcycle clubs]. Organised crime entities living in more rural parts of the state who think their distance from the city affords them a level of anonymity or impunity – you are mistaken.”
Ryan later told reporters the men had been charged with offences including intentionally and recklessly causing injury, assault in company, assault with a weapon and affray. If found guilty they each face a maximum 10 years in jail.
They were bailed and are scheduled to appear in court on 28 September.
