Illegal Fireworks Cache Found In Oakland

[Tony]

POSTED: 10:28 am PDT April 1, 2007
UPDATED: 3:08 pm PDT April 1, 2007

OAKLAND -- Police seized 1,000 pounds of commercial grade fireworks from a nearby motorcycle shop near Oakland Hells Angels' motorcycle club early Sunday, according to an Oakland police dispatcher.

Authorities believe the fireworks may have been part of the Hells Angels' 50th anniversary celebration to take place in Oakland this weekend.

"It's a substantial amount (of commercial grade fireworks)," said Oakland police spokesman Roland Holmgren. "These are serious fireworks. This is a residential-commerical area so can imagine the danger if they were to go off."

Holmgren said officers served a warrant to search a building at 4010 Foothill Blvd., and discovered the illegal explosives at around 12:01 a.m. The Alameda Bomb Squad was dispatched to the scene.

"We are able -- with the help of the bomb squad -- to remove the fireworks without anyone getting hurt," Holmgren said. "That was our goal."

He added that no arrests had been made in connection with the illegal fireworks.

Overall, Holmgren said the Hells Angels birthday celebration with some 800 members of the renegade club in attendance had been pretty quiet.

 

[Tony]

OAKLAND
Fireworks seized near Hells Angels club

Police said they seized about 1,000 pounds of illegal fireworks early Sunday from a custom motorcycle shop across from the clubhouse of the Oakland Hells Angels motorcycle club, which celebrated its 50th anniversary over the weekend.

No one was arrested after officers found the fireworks just after 12 a.m. at 4010 Foothill Blvd., police said.

Most fireworks are banned in California. But some are legal in some other states, including Nevada.

Police reported few other problems during the club's three-day party, which drew hundreds of Hells Angels from around the world.