Hells Angels buy Long Island church for local headquarters

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Some people too afraid to show their face on camera after learning about their newest neighbors - the Suffolk County chapter of the Hells Angels. 

"Nobody wants this in their own backyard. This is something you have to be very concerned about," said one person who did not want to be identified. "Drug dealing is their major, prostitution. That's a lot of the stuff that goes on with these guys."

According to the Town of Brookhaven, the group recently bought a church in Centereach that's been vacant for years and plans to use it as the club's new headquarters for Suffolk County. A Hells Angels sign already hangs over a door on the side of the building in the residential neighborhood.

"I've been around for a long time and I remember motorcycle people and these people aren't good motorcycle people," said a woman who lives three blocks away. 

But a member of the club, who identified himself as Mario, says the group just held a children's toy drive and insists the neighborhood is in good hands. 

"They have nothing to fear believe me they have nothing to fear," he said. "We’re business owners, family oriented."

In a phone interview, Ron Kuby, the local Hell's Angels chapter's attorney said they're a group of motorcycle enthusiasts who are working hard to restore the church and bring it up to code.  

"Once people get to know them, the prejudices will fall away and I think they'll play an important part in revitalizing that block," Kuby said. 

Fox 5 News reached out to the Suffolk County Police Department. It said it is aware of the group's purchase of the property but aren't commenting any further. Officials in the town of Brookhaven plan to get a better idea of exactly what is going to take place on the property in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the club has erected a chain link fence around the property.