Genesee County sees uptick in thefts from vehicles; many parked in local hiking areas, parks and parking lots

BATAVIA, N.Y. — The Genesee County Sheriff’s Office says they have recently noticed an increase in vehicle larcenies. Deputies say in many of these cases, the vehicles hit are parked in hiking areas, county and local parks and parking lots.

They believe a group known as the ‘Felony Lane Gang,’ a well-organized group of individuals that originated in Florida, is behind the crimes. The gang specializes in ‘smash and grab’ larcenies, stealing purses and using victim’s ID, credit cards and checks to commit identity theft-related crimes.

Deputies are once again reminding the public not to leave anything of value inside your vehicle when unoccupied and to report any suspicious activity to police immediately.