Suspect identified in Pierce County car prowls may be tied to 'Felony Lane Gang' crime ring

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PIERCE COUNTY -- A 32-year-old woman from Florida has been identified as the suspect in a series of identity theft and check fraud  cases in Pierce County.  She has not been officially charged yet in the case so her name is being withheld. Detectives believe she is connected to the notorious "Felony Lane Gang".

The crime ring gets its' name because members use the bank drive-through lane that’s the farthest from the teller when they cash stolen checks so they can’t be seen as clearly.  The group of thieves originated in south Florida and have been operating for the past several years all over the country. They travel the country in rental vehicles and target gyms, parks, daycare centers, and sporting events where women may leave purses in their vehicles.

Deputies received a tip from a caller who stated that they saw a Crime Stoppers post on Facebook about the Pierce County cases and knew who the person was.  Deputies learned she had recently been arrested in Hatfield Township, PA for a very large quantity of fraud and identity theft related charges. ​ She was being held on $250,000 bail. Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies then contacted law enforcement in Pennsylvania  who interviewed her on 4/7.

She told detectives she and two other male suspects drove from Florida to Washington in January for the purpose of committing theft and fraud.  The suspects were in a traveling in a rental car, spent three days in Washington, then flew from Portland back to Florida. More information to come once she is officially charged.

WANTED IN PIERCE COUNTY -- 
Talk about cashing in on a crime of opportunity: Check out the six photos above all showing the same woman – but all taken at separate banks.
Now, Pierce County detectives are hoping you can tell them her name, after they say she went on a check-cashing crime spree following a car prowl in a gym parking lot.

"We believe the suspects broke into a vehicle, were able to obtain credit cards and a checkbook and then they went around all over Pierce County cashing checks at many, many banks. We probably believe that even though we see a girl in the picture that there's more people involved in this theft and identify theft, because people that are breaking into cars usually go out in teams and do it, when the have vehicles they have somebody that knows how to break into the car, obtains the items, then somebody else will go and cash the checks and commit the fraud."

Detectives say the woman cashed around $6,000 worth of stolen checks before the victim even realized her car had been hit while she was working out at a gym in Edgewood.

The suspect was driving a newer, silver Chrysler 300 sedan like the one above.

If you know her name, call an anonymous tip into:
CRIME STOPPERS: 1-800-222-TIPS

You must call the Crime Stoppers hotline with your tip to be eligible to receive a cash reward for information leading to a fugitive’s arrest.