CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Detective Chris Cunningham with the Clarksville Police Department is investigating multiple incidents in which fraudulent checks were cashed at local banks.

Throughout the course of his investigation, he has been able to connect these crimes to the Felony Lane Gang (FLG). The group was given this name by law enforcement after they began using the outside drive-thru lane at banks, for security purposes, to cash fraudulent checks.

Police say FLG commits vehicle burglaries in public parks, gyms, day cares, and other locations women commonly leave their purses inside their unlocked vehicles. They take personal identification documents and checks from the vehicles and then recruit women to pass as the victim and cash checks from other victim’s vehicles.

FLG has grown exponentially over the years and is currently being investigated in crimes throughout the East Coast and Midwest.

The Clarksville Police Department’s (CPD) first investigations involving FLG began approximately three years ago with a rash of vehicle burglaries at the Clarksville Athletic Club and local parks.

In May of 2015, the group committed three vehicle burglaries at local day cares as well as one in the county. The connection to the FLG was established by comparing their methods and viewing video surveillance from a gas station in Antioch, TN.

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Another FLG-related case was reported Sept. 21 when two females attempted to pass a fraudulent check at Heritage Bank on Madison St.

The drive-thru bank teller recognized the driver’s license the females presented as a bank employee, who was a victim of the county daycare burglary in May.

The two females quickly left without cashing the check after realizing the bank’s suspicions. The bank teller then alerted the bank employee (burglary victim).

The bank employee/burglary victim contacted Officer Coz Minetos to inform him that someone had attempted to use her ID on Madison St. She told him she thought it was likely they were going to attempt to use it at another location in town.

The victim then called 911 to report the incident and also contacted the Heritage Bank location on Trenton Rd.

Shortly after this the two females arrived at the Trenton Rd. location and attempted to cash another check. The bank quickly contacted the victim and stalled the females in the drive-thru until police arrived.

The two females were identified as Detra Lapaglia from Ft. Lauderdale, FL and Kayla Taylor from Hampton, GA. Lapaglia and Taylor were both arrested and charged with forgery, theft, and identity theft. Lapaglia was also charged with simple possession and UDP. Taylor was also charged with driver’s license required.

“Throughout the course of the investigation I was able to connect Detra Lapaglia and Kayla Taylor to the FLG. I was also able to confirm the connection with the FLG and the May daycare burglaries. During the investigation, it was also learned that Mrs. Lapaglia and Mrs. Taylor were involved in the same check fraud scheme in numerous surrounding jurisdictions throughout Tennessee,” Detective Cunningham said.

CPD says they appreciate the efforts of Heritage Bank and urge the public to lock their vehicles and keep valuables out of sight.

Currently, the FBI is working in conjunction with the Clarksville Police Department against the organized interstate crime group, the FLG. This is an open investigation. Anyone with information related to the use of fraudulent checks or the FLG, please call Detective Cunningham at 931-648-0656 Ext 5195 or the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 931-645-TIPS (8477).