Police Make Arrests in Car Burglary Ring

CEDAR PARK, TX — Cedar Park police recently made local arrests in a national vehicle burglary ring, taking three suspects into custody.

Saray Mendoza-Tarango, Brittany Ryan and Chadrick Tatum were arrested Dec. 1 for a vehicle burglary incident that took place at Champion Park shortly after noon last week. The victim in the case—a woman who had been walking her dog—realized her car had been burglarized. She saw the suspects fleeing in a gray Chevrolet Cobalt in which the suspects had fled.

The suspects’ vehicle was later found in a parking lot of the nearby Twin Lakes YMCA.

After waiting for a period of time, officers saw the suspects’ vehicle on the road. A traffic stop was made after police determined the vehicle did not match its license plate. A probable cause search was conducted after officers detected the scent of marijuana emanating from the vehicle, during which time identifying information on the suspects and vehicle burglary tool was secured.

The ensuing investigation tied Mendoza-Tarango to a national vehicle burglary ring dubbed the Felony Lane Gang, according to police. The FLG is believed to be active in more than 40 states throughout the country, focusing in the Cedar Park-Leander region on cars parked at public parks or fitness centers. Typically, FLG members break vehicle windows in order to steal purses and other valuable left in cars.

Law enforcement officials remind residents to leave valuables at home or secure them before exiting their vehicles as they travel. Police note the scourge of car burglaries is especially common during the holiday season.