Police:‘Felony Lane Gang’ members charged in Naperville
Four members of a Florida gang that is believed to have committed more than 60 smash-and-grab vehicle burglaries in Naperville since 2010 have been arrested, according to police.
An off-duty Naperville police officer spotted suspicious activity from two vehicles in a parking lot near 75th Street and Fort Hill Drive, which lead him to believe the individuals were members of the “Felony Lane Gang,” according to authorities.
The Florida-based group is known to approach victim’s vehicles in a rental car obtained in Florida, according to police.
At 12:28 p.m. Saturday, the undercover officer watched the vehicle containing a woman perform a drive-up bank transaction near the intersection and called for backup.
The male members of the gang are known to commit the smash-and-grab burglaries where they steal a purse or wallet and the female members then use the victim’s identification and checkbook to write large fraudulent checks, according to police.
On Saturday, officers arrested the four people in the two rental vehicles following the transaction.
Alisa B. Freeman, 41, of Oakland Park, Fla., was charged with felony financial identity theft, fugitive from justice and conspiracy to commit a financial crime. Nicholas S. Ferguson, 22, of Lauderhill, Fla., Darryl Dixon Jr., 25, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Melvin D. Ferrell, 26, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., were all charged with conspiracy to commit a financial crime.
The Naperville Police Department began warning residents of the gang in late September, when they estimated the total monetary loss from Naperville thefts to be in excess of $100,000.
At that time, 100 Felony Lane Gang members had been identified.
Police said the group targets locations where women are most likely to leave their purses or wallets in vehicles, including gyms, parks and day care centers.