Redcliffe woman held hostage at gunpoint in Upper Coomera before escaping ex-bikies

The gang of four stand-over men linked to the Bandidos, savagely assaulted the woman’s partner before snatching his girlfriend as collateral until the debt is paid.

The woman was driven to the Gold Coast during the night and held captive in the Ridgemont St home for 12 hours before staging a desperate escape yesterday afternoon. She ran to a nearby childcare centre where she raised the alarm.

Police swarmed the Upper Coomera home, arresting four men at the scene and seizing replica firearms, ballistic body armour and helmets.

Officers surrounded the home for another four hours and shut down the quiet Upper Coomera suburb amid fears a fifth man was hiding in the roof with a shotgun.

A 250m exclusion zone was applied about 2.30pm as police called in the Special Emergency Response Team and police negotiators tried to establish contact with the man.

 

While the shotgun is still unaccounted for, the operation was called off about 6pm when police ruled out a fifth person being inside the house.

The woman showed signs of suffering trauma from the kidnapping and was last night being interviewed by police about her experience.

Police sources confirmed the men were linked to the Bandidos criminal bikie gang.

In March, police in Brisbane shut down a Bandido gang’s “extortion ring” accused of targeting young, buff men in inner-city gyms.

Police have arrested seven alleged members of the Bandidos, including two chapter presidents, two sergeants-at-arms and rank-and-file members in West End and the city centre.

They face charges including extortion, assault occasioning bodily harm in company and assault.