Suspected Felony Lane Gang Members Busted For Auto Burglaries

A half-dozen people were arrested Monday for auto burglaries that fit the profile of the so-called Felony Lane Gang that has wreaked havoc from Tampa to Orlando to Fort Myers.

Tampa Police officers Monday, Nov. 5, were dispatched to Tampa Palms Elementary School for a call regarding two auto burglaries. While there, according to police, another call came in about a similar auto burglary at Hunter’s Green Elementary School. Witnesses described seeing a suspicious Ford Flex vehicle.

“Patrol headed to LA Fitness on County Line Road as this place is a common target for this group,” Tampa Police wrote in a crime analysis report.

Officials found the Ford Flex there and made a vehicle stop. Occupants were smoking marijuana and an officer noticed a stolen purse on the vehicle’s floor. A second “lookout” car was in the parking lot and several arrests were made after suspects admitted to involvement in similar crimes in Pasco, Hillsborough, Polk and Orlando counties.

Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone everyday with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.

Taken into custody by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office were:

• Keither Taylor, 26, of Fort Lauderdale
• Dwight Higgings, 18, of Lauderhill
• Christopher Pierre, 23, of Fort Lauderdale
• Jorane Desilus, 18, of Deerfield Beach
• Aleshia Tucker, 18, of Orlando

Thelma Erevia, 37, of Pompano Beach was also arrested but transported by Pasco County Sheriff's Office deputies.

What is the Felony Lane Gang?

The Felony Lane Gang is a large crime ring that has made headlines from here to Orlando to Fort Myers. They smash car windows and swipe purses and wallets, running up credit cards and draining bank accounts, according to www.wtsp.com.

The Felony Lane name comes from the fact that members use the drive-up lane farthest from bank teller when withdrawing funds on stolen bank cards. Bold and brash, prostitutes are often employed by the group to don wigs and dress up like the victims on the ID cards to fool bank tellers, according to www.wtsp.com.