St. Petesburg Cops Warn Residents of Auto Burglary Ring

Police are warning St. Petersburg, Fla., residents about an identity theft ring known as the Felony Lane Gang.

Detectives said Tuesday they’re tracking some 18 cases since August involving the highly organized automobile burglary group that uses rental cars to stake out parks, gyms and schools in the St. Petersburg area.

According to police, gang members wait for people to park their cars and leave without purses. Then, they smash the window, grab the purse and run. After the theft, people learn they’ve also fallen victim to identity theft after the thieves use their credit cards or cash checks.

They’re called the Felony Lane Gang because they use drive-through bank lanes furthest from security cameras and tellers to pass the stolen checks.