Police Threatened by Booby-Traps

(Hemet, California) Local police are being threatened and targeted with booby-traps set allegedly by the Vagos motorcycle gang, California's largest.

According to Hemet Police Chief Richard Dana:

First, a natural gas pipe was shoved through a hole drilled into the roof of the gang enforcement unit's headquarters. The building filled with flammable vapor, but an officer smelled the danger before anyone was hurt.

Then, a ballistic contraption was attached to a sliding security fence around the building. An officer opening the black steel gate triggered the mechanism, which sent a bullet within 8 inches of his face.

In another attempted booby trap attack, some kind of explosive device was attached to a police officer's unmarked car while he went into a convenience store.

Gang enforcement officers appear to be the target of the assassination attempts, though Dana noted the devices were indiscriminate by nature.

About 30 members of the Vagos gang were arrested this week for methamphetamine sales, identity theft and violence in a sweep through California and neighboring states.

Meanwhile, a reward of $200,000 has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those individuals responsible for setting the booby-traps.