Latest ‘Gang’ arrests tied to local crimes
TREDYFFRIN >> With seven members of the nationwide “Felony Lane Gang” arrested following a high-speed car chase Tuesday, police advised the public to stay vigilant and help remove opportunities for gang members to commit crimes.
Branded the “Felony Lane Gang” by law enforcement officials for the way the criminals carry out crimes, police confirmed the crime spree has been going on for several years.
The gang members use personal identification such as checks and IDs thatwere stolen from victims, then they would attempt to
obtain money from banks using the identification, according to Tredyffrin Police Public Information Officer Todd Bereda.
Bereda said the suspects frequently steal from women’s purses laying in plain view in cars parked at day care centers and retail shopping centers.
“Secure them in a trunk, store them out of sight,” he said. “Vigilance is important, we want less victims.”
Bereda said gang members will typically use the stolen information to steal money from bank accounts, using the drivethrough lane of the bank which makes it easier for them to f lee if the police arrive.
Bereda said this was what prompted law enforcement of f icials to give them the name “Felony Lane Gang.”
“It’s a loose-knit organization,” he said. “They don’t have colors like other gangs. These people are creatures of habit, that’s how we were able to name them Felony Lane Gang.”
On Tuesday, shortly after 1:30 p.m., Tredyffrin Township police received reports from two off-duty firefighters eating lunch at Wendy’s on Swedesford Road near the Valley Forge shopping center about suspicious activity taking place in a nearby parking lot.
The firefighters reported several people attempting to change vehicle registration on two vehicles.
When police arrived, three suspects attempted to on foot but were apprehended. Four additional suspects in the second vehicle fled, resulting in a high speed chase reaching 100 mph according to some reports.
Heavy traffic forced the fleeing vehicle to stop and crash into a state po-lice car. Some gang members attempted to flee after the crash, and one ran across several lanes of traffic and jumped into the Schuylkill river. According to police, all suspects were apprehended and no civilians or officers were hurt.
“They’re all across the nation,” West Whiteland Detective Scott Pezick said. “The last case we had was prosecuted federally."
The gang has victims stretching across the region, including in Limerick Township, where police confirmed one victim had items taken from her vehicle ny the gang. Her ID was used in a bank outside the township’s jurisdiction in an effort to cash a check from another unknown victim, Limerick Detective Patrick Roche said Wednesday. Fortunately, it was only an attempt. The check was never processed but the bank was unable to retain the check, so police can’t contact the other victim.
Limerick Police have strong suspicions about two others cases that fit the pattern of the Felony Lane Gang. They both involve a purse stolen from a vehicle either through forcible entry or because it was unlocked. The stolen items haven’t shown up at a pawn shop. Typically the crime is over within minutes, as a victim walks into a business, which means someone was watching them and waiting to strike, Roche said.
Limerick Police have told local businesses to be mindful of the gang.
“We gave specificity about what banks should watch for, what child cares should be mindful of,” Roche said. “Hotels should be cognizant of suspicious people checking in and out.”
Pezick said West Whiteland saw similar criminal activity about two years ago. He said criminals stole $24,000 from one victim, cashing checks in Chester County and as far away as Pittsburgh.
Bereda said cases of similar criminal activity have occurred in parts Bucks and Montgomery counties as well. He said these gang members can meet through prison connections, social media, and word of mouth.
He added one of the suspects from Tuesday’s activity had a criminal record over 70 pages long, although he declined to say which suspect it was. The statement the police released after Tuesday’s incident stated the suspects combined had over 100 arrests nationally.
“We believe they are responsible for other Chester County area related burglaries and thef ts,” he said.
Sherry Howard, 48, of Baltimore, Keenon Seymour, 18, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Jeremy Espenshade, 28, of Baltimore, Jerome Glinton of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Heather Miller, 29, of Baltimore, Jeremy Evans, 40, of Baltimore, and Ashley Hamm, 22, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., were arrested and charged with aggravated assault of a police officer, fleeing or eluding police, receiving stolen property, ID theft, access device theft, and criminal conspiracy, according to police.
— Tredyffrin Police Public Information Officer Todd Bereda. “They don’t have colors like other gangs. These people are creatures of habit, that’s how we were able to name them Felony Lane Gang.”