The Felony Lane Gang has descended on Kansas City (maybe)

A criminal group known as the Felony Lane Gang is causing trouble in Lee’s Summit, local news media are reporting. The group is said to be expert at vehicle smash-and-grabs — locating purses in cars, breaking the windows, skidding off to a bank and quickly cashing checks. What a skill set! Their name is derived from the drive-thru lane they use at the bank — the one farthest from the building, to avoid the teller recognizing them. 

Both KSHB and KMBC are carrying reports today that there are indications that the group — which investigators say has a history of dipping into a city for a week or so and then moving on to another one to criminalize — is in Kansas City. Police believe a homeowners association community pool in Lee’s Summit was hit by the gang last week. From KMBC: 

“These folks take it to the next level,” said Sgt. Chris Depue, of the Lee’s Summit Police Department. “Folks think, ‘I’ll just lock the car.’ If that purse or wallet is in plain sight, they’ll bust open the car. They’re very brazen.”

Police said the group often works during the day with parking-lot lookouts backing them up. While they’re looking for anything of value left in a car, police said they often go after wallets and purses.

“Because they know in that purse or wallet, there might be checks or debit cards,” Depue said. “Then they’ll cash them at a bank for between $800 and $1,000.”

A report from NBC News in Washington, D.C., says the group has spread out from its roots in South Florida and now has a presence in 34 states. 

If you’ve got some time to kill, the Felony Lane Gang Task Force Facebook page makes for some interesting reading.