by Jason Nark| Philadelphia Daily News | 09/11/2010
New Jersey State Police investigators believe the Pagans' recruiting effort is a direct result of a small but significant Hells Angels chapter that opened in North Jersey in recent years. The Angels and Pagans have been rivals for decades. "The N.J. chapter of Hells Angels is small, but backed by New York City, one of the largest chapters in the world," said Detective Ty Coronato, of the New Jersey State Police Street Gang Unit. "Most of South Jersey is completely under Pagan control, and they don't get along with Hells Angels. There's been a lot of tension."
Despite the perceived "tension" between Pagans and Hells Angels in New Jersey, there hasn't been any similar bloodshed in the Garden State in recent years. In Gloucester City, a small, blue-collar town on the Delaware River, Police Chief George Berglund isn't pleased that he has a Pagans chapter in town and is worried that its ranks have grown. "I'm definitely concerned with the rise of numbers I've seen. They're actively recruiting," he said. "We don't want them in town but constitutionally, people are allowed to be members. They don't like attention and they don't like law enforcement. None of them are saints." In June, there was a minor incident in Gloucester City when members of the Warlocks allegedly walked into a corner bar wearing their colors. Words were exchanged with Pagans, phone calls were made, and more and more bikers showed up, Berglund said, but nothing really happened.
Officials say Pagans throttling up in New Jersey over rivalry with Hells Angels
by Jason Nark| Philadelphia Daily News | 09/11/2010
New Jersey State Police investigators believe the Pagans' recruiting effort is a direct result of a small but significant Hells Angels chapter that opened in North Jersey in recent years. The Angels and Pagans have been rivals for decades. "The N.J. chapter of Hells Angels is small, but backed by New York City, one of the largest chapters in the world," said Detective Ty Coronato, of the New Jersey State Police Street Gang Unit. "Most of South Jersey is completely under Pagan control, and they don't get along with Hells Angels. There's been a lot of tension."
Despite the perceived "tension" between Pagans and Hells Angels in New Jersey, there hasn't been any similar bloodshed in the Garden State in recent years. In Gloucester City, a small, blue-collar town on the Delaware River, Police Chief George Berglund isn't pleased that he has a Pagans chapter in town and is worried that its ranks have grown. "I'm definitely concerned with the rise of numbers I've seen. They're actively recruiting," he said. "We don't want them in town but constitutionally, people are allowed to be members. They don't like attention and they don't like law enforcement. None of them are saints." In June, there was a minor incident in Gloucester City when members of the Warlocks allegedly walked into a corner bar wearing their colors. Words were exchanged with Pagans, phone calls were made, and more and more bikers showed up, Berglund said, but nothing really happened.
New Jersey State Police investigators believe the Pagans' recruiting effort is a direct result of a small but significant Hells Angels chapter that opened in North Jersey in recent years. The Angels and Pagans have been rivals for decades. "The N.J. chapter of Hells Angels is small, but backed by New York City, one of the largest chapters in the world," said Detective Ty Coronato, of the New Jersey State Police Street Gang Unit. "Most of South Jersey is completely under Pagan control, and they don't get along with Hells Angels. There's been a lot of tension."
grown. "I'm definitely concerned with the rise of numbers I've seen. They're actively recruiting," he said. "We don't want them in town but constitutionally, people are allowed to be members. They don't like attention and they don't like law enforcement. None of them are saints." In June, there was a minor incident in Gloucester City when members of the Warlocks allegedly walked into a corner bar wearing their colors. Words were exchanged with Pagans, phone calls were made, and more and more bikers showed up, Berglund said, but nothing really happened.
