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Hillsborough Deputies Issue Alert On 'Felony Lane Group'

Photo from Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office

A member of the "Felony Lane Group" making fraudulent transactions in the drive-through lanes of a local bank.

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 20, 2009

TAMPA - A gang of South Florida thieves dubbed the "Felony Lane Group" is accused of breaking into cars to steal identification, credit cards and checkbooks that they then used to defraud local banks of more than $50,000.

Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies today issued an alert, complete with photos of suspected ring members making fraudulent transactions in the drive-through lanes of local banks.

The tip of the gang's operation was spotted in December when two men seen breaking into cars in Lutz led deputies on a chase and were fired upon in northwest Hillsborough before surrendering.

Deputies now say they were part of a ring that travels across Florida and is blamed for some 30 vehicle burglaries in at least four Central Florida counties over the past four months, including four trips into Hillsborough.

The thieves target purses and wallets left unattended in vehicles at day care centers, gyms, gas stations and schools. With checkbooks and debit cards, they head to banks.

"Typically, the scheme involved multiple vehicles being used in the drive-through lanes," sheriff's officials said in a statement.

While a teller handles one transaction, a second vehicle with another ring member pulls into a lane blocking the view of the first car. The second vehicle's driver engages the tellers in conversation to distract attention from the first vehicle.

That's how the gang got its name.

The ring's female members wear wigs to match the hair color of the women pictured on pilfered ID cards.

Deputies are coordinating with other law enforcement agencies and financial institutions to identify burglary and identity theft victims.

The public is cautioned to be "vigilant in the security of their financial and identification documents and to not leave purses and wallets containing these items in unattended vehicles," the statement said.

Anyone with information on the investigation should call the sheriff's office at (813) 247-8200.

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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