eBayer's paying for fake bikie patches

Mackenzie Ravn   |  October 25th, 2013

CRIMINAL motorcycle gang members might be ducking for cover and handing in their colours, but a raft of wannabe bikies are turning to eBay to purchase fake patches representing some of the Gold Coast's most notorious clubs.

The Bandidos and Mongols MC colours are the most commonly sold and while they might look real, bikie sources warned there would be consequences for those seen wearing the replicas in public.

The look-alike emblems sell for upwards of $80, with one online trader from Indonesia selling up to 17 of the 20 patch sets a month.

Taskforce Takeback chief, Superintendent Jim Keogh, said purchasing the fake outlaw motorcycle gang colours bordered on "sheer stupidity".

"It would be dangerous for a bikie to be wearing any bikie colours at the moment, let alone somebody pretending to be a bikie," he said.

"It's like going into a bank with a replica firearm and wondering why people take action."

Supt Keogh said those seen by police wearing the replica colours would be treated as any other bikie until officers could ascertain the badges were fake.

"It would certainly warrant an investigation," he said.

The selling of fake patches comes as outlaw motorcycle gang members say they are fleeing the Coast, some even handing in their colours for good, to escape the constant police attention caused by the State's unprecedented crackdown.

And while bikie sources were angered by the selling of fake club colours, Supt Keogh said it was unlikely any of them would retaliate.

"The bikies aren't the sharpest of knives, but even they are trying to step away from it all at the moment based on the legislation," he said.

A post published on Facebook page Motorcycle Clubs of the World about the selling of fake patches garnered a heated response, with many saying both sellers and buyers had a "death wish".

"Who has to die first? That's how serious these fakes could become," one person wrote.

"It's just an extension of the fake Louis Vuitton and Dior they've been doing for years ... they probably don't quite realise the implications of this one," posted another.

Despite their similarity to bikie colours, most of the sellers clearly state the items are not endorsed.