In a move designed to "protect" the Nanaimo's Hells Angels clubhouse from theft or vandalism, the provincial government has ordered that all signs relating to the group be removed from building's exterior.Police arrived on scene last week to board up the signs and remove the notorious skull-and-wing insignia from the front of the building.The Hells Angels have been in Nanaimo since 1985 and are one of seven recognized chapters in B.C.Metal fencing preventing anyone from entering the property was installed in November and all windows have been boarded up.
The removal of signage was a "precautionary" step, said a ministry spokesman in the department of Public Safety and Solicitor-General's civil forfeiture office.
No vandalism or theft has occurred since the province took control of the building on Nov. 9, when about 50 heavily armed police officers were called in to assist agents from B.C.'s Solicitor-General's office in seizing the property under the province's Civil Forfeiture Act.
The provincial director of civil forfeiture now possesses the property, under an interim preservation order that was issued in B.C. Supreme Court.
Under the terms of the order, the province has an obligation to keep the building safe and secure."We didn't want any rocks thrown to the sign or damage done," said the spokesman.The preservation order was recently extended to May 30.A hearing will take place before that date to determine whether the preservation order will carry through to a civil trial, at which the province will try to prove the property has ties to criminal activity. If successful, the property would be forfeited to the province.No date has yet been set for a trial.
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