ALAMANCE COUNTY, N.C. — The crime ring known as the Felony Lane Gang has been targeting parks in Alamance County, according to deputies.
In a news release Sunday, the Alamance County Sheriff's Office said they responded to several reports of vehicle break-ins at county parks and recreation centers, including Cedar Rock Park and Shallowford Recreation Park areas. Victims reported that their windows were broken and their purses stolen.
Investigators said the suspects then travel to local retail and grocery stores to use the victims’ credit cards to purchase thousands of dollars in gift cards and money orders.
The suspects are known to law enforcement agencies as the Felony Lane Gang. The sheriff's office said the suspects are typically driving rental vehicles with out-of-state tags or they attempt to conceal the true registration by utilizing a fake paper temporary tag. The majority of the suspects are not local to Alamance County or to North Carolina.
Over the years, WFMY News 2 has reported on the crime ring known to commit these crimes in numerous states up and down the East Coast looking for cars in parks.
In 2019, the Guilford County Sheriff's Office said criminals targeted a woman's vehicle that was parked at the Jamestown YMCA. Thieves smashed her window and stole her purse. The next day, investigators said a woman used the victim's stolen cards at a bank in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Investigators said these types of crimes will typically increase in volume over the coming summer months.
The Alamance County Sheriff’s Office urged people to keep valuables with them, hide them in a location that cannot be seen from the outside of their vehicle, put them in the trunk, or leave those items that are not needed at that time at home.
If you happen to become a victim, investigators suggest calling law enforcement and your bank immediately. After this, share what you can with law enforcement. The suspects are very fast and will use the credit cards within minutes of the break-in. The quicker this information can be shared with law enforcement, the quicker the response, and hopeful apprehension of the suspects.
The sheriff’s office also requested all retail stores verify the identity of those individuals who are purchasing large amounts of gift cards to the names on the credit cards. The majority of the suspects are concealing their identities from surveillance video footage by wearing hoodies, along with face masks.