Theft, fraud ring tied to Farmington Hills crimes

An interstate theft and fraud ring is believed to be responsible for several incidents in Farmington Hills of car windows being smashed and valuables stolen from them.

Dubbed the “Felony Lane Gang,” the criminals target vehicles parked in parks, daycare centers and other public locations that have purses in plain sight, said Farmington Hills Assistant Police Chief Matt Koehn. They enter vehicles, usually by smashing a window. Other gang members then use the credit cards, checks and identification that have been stolen to obtain money, he said.

Koehn said the group has been active throughout the United States, including the metropolitan Detroit area for the past several years. It’s believed their name originated from what bank tellers refer to as the “felony lane” in a bank drive-thru – the farthest lane from the building where criminals attempting fraud are most likely to use, Koehn said.

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Most recently in Farmington Hills, cars parked at Heritage Park and Founders Park on April 30 had their windows smashed, and the thieves made off with two purses and a gym bag. The property was left in plain view, Koehn said. A possible suspect and vehicle, seen prior to the Heritage Park incident, is described as a black male with a goatee, wearing a red shirt and driving a maroon Jeep Cherokee with no license plate. Witnesses reported seeing him cruising through the park that afternoon, looking in vehicle windows.

Other recent incidents thought to be the work of the FLG occurred in Farmington and Canton Township, Koehn said, and last fall, a man connected with the group was arrested for a larceny from a vehicle. An estimated 30 similar incidents occurred in Farmington Hills in the past year, he said.

The FLG originated in Florida about three years ago and travels throughout the country year-round, Koehn said, typically hitting Michigan and other northern states in the warmer months. “Intelligence through other (police) departments and the pattern of the crimes” are what lead investigators to determine the incidents are the work of the FLG, he said.

Police continue to urge the public to not leave anything of value unattended in their vehicles.

“Don’t leave any valuables at all that people can see in the car,” Koehn said.

Anyone seeing suspicious people or vehicles at parks, daycares or other public locations is asked to contact the police department where the incident occurred. Reach the Farmington Hills Police Department at 248-871-2600 and the Farmington Public Safety Department at 248-474-4700.

Aileen Wingblad is a reporter for Hometown Life. Contact her at awingblad@hometownlife.com, 248-390-3976 or on Twitter:@awingblad.