Felony Lane Gang Striking Naperville Again?

Naperville police believe a gang that specializes in daytime smash-and-grab burglaries has returned to the city.

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Since March, at least 15 burglaries occurred in south Naperville and the method of the burglaries is similar to that of the Felony Lane Gang, a group which typically targets areas where women might leave purses or wallets unattended inside vehicles, such as fitness clubs, parks, and daycare centers, police said.

Once items are stolen, the members of the gang then use the identification and banking information to steal large amounts of money.

The Felony Lane Gang first hit Naperville in 2010, committing more than 60 burglaries and stealing more than $100,000 from residents through its smash-and-grab method. 

In the last month, police said vehicles parked at daycare centers, churches and several parks have been targeted in south Naperville. Six similar burglaries occurred in one day near 95th Street and Book Road, according to police.

Several neighboring suburbs also reported similar burglaries, according to police.

Witnesses have observed the offenders driving in a black Ford Edge with tinted windows leaving the scene of a burglary as recent as Monday, April 1. 

Within a few days, the offenders used the identities of a few of the victims to commit identity theft at suburban Chicago banks, according to police.

Police have arrested people believed to be members of the gang in the past, including four people as they were in the process of making a fraudulent bank transaction in December 2011.

Other members of the gang, which is predominantly based out of Florida, have been arrested over the past five years in the Chicago area and in numerous other states. 

The men in the gang are typically black and have been described as having dreadlocks and gold teeth or beards and gold teeth. They are often seen in a rental vehicle, according to police.

Past rental vehicles have included a Ford Edge, Chrysler minivan, small SUV/crossover vehicles and four-door sedans. The vehicles are typically dark in color, according to police.

The offenders in the identity thefts at the bank drive-thru lanes are females of a variety of races and often disguise themselves with a wig. They primarily use the farthest lane from the drive-thru bank teller which is often referred to as the “felony lane,” hence the nickname the “Felony Lane Gang,” police said.

The police ask residents to help prevent these crimes in the future and ask that wallets and purses never be left inside vehicles, even for a short period of time. Police also ask that if anyone notices suspicious vehicles at fitness centers, parks, churches or daycare centers that they contact police immediately.

Read more:

Felony Lane Gang Targets Naperville

Naperville Police: Felony Lane Gang Behind Recent Car Burglaries

Police Arrest 4 People Believed to Be Members of the Felony Lane Gang

Police Urge Shoppers to Not Get Scrooged by Car Burglars