Suspected Felony Lane Gang Member Arrested by Hatfield Township Police

North Penn Now Staff•

Hatfield Township Police have announced the arrest of a suspected Felony Lane Gang member, following an investigation into an incident that began at the Harleysville Bank on Cowpath Road last month.

According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to the 1500 block of Cowpath Road on Oct. 21 at 11:44 a.m. for a report of a suspicious person. The bank manager informed police that a white female in a light-colored SUV was attempting to cash a check, but she did not look like the woman on the identification provided, and they believed the woman may be a member of the Felony Lane Gang.

(Note: The Felony Lane Gang is a transient criminal group named by banking personnel because they commonly use the furthest drive-through lane from the teller—the "felony lane"—when committing fraudulent banking transactions.)

Police arrived to the scene and observed the vehicle—bearing Pennsylvania plates—and driver, later identified as 31-year-old Emily Helmer, of Bradenton, Fla. The report states that when Helmer saw the marked police vehicle, she quickly fled the scene, leaving behind the check, as well as the debit card and driver’s license of the account owner.

The report states that police attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Helmer fled the scene at a high rate of speed, cutting off traffic and making a dangerous right-hand turn from the left lane. For public safety reasons, police broke off pursuit and returned to the bank, the report states.

Upon their return to the bank, the manager presented police with the check, license and debit card that Helmer had presented, the report states. The license and debit card belonged to a local woman, who was the victim of a theft from vehicle in Whitpain Township on Oct. 2, the report states. In that incident, the victim’s purse was stolen from her vehicle, which contained the debit card and driver’s license that Helmer had presented, according to the report.

A check in the amount of $3,200, that Helmer had allegedly attempted to cash, was drawn from an account at a bank in York, PA, and police later learned that the owner of that account was also the victim of a vehicle break-in that occurred in Manheim Township on Oct. 19, according to the report.

In that case, the victim’s purse and checkbook were stolen, police said.

Roughly 25 minutes after the initial call from the bank, police were dispatched to the 900 block of Dogwood Lane for a report of a suspicious, unoccupied vehicle that was parked in a residential driveway. Upon arrival, police noticed that it was the same vehicle that Helmer was allegedly observed driving, but it now had stolen Arizona license plates on it, according to the report. Additionally, the homeowner found a Massachusetts driver’s license of another female in her yard, the report states.

At the same time, a nearby neighbor stated that they saw a suspicious female walking through their yard, tearing up a piece of paper, police said. The neighbor stated that they retrieved the papers, and when put back together, it was a check made out to the victim of the Whitpain vehicle break-in, in the amount of $2,075 and drawn from an account in Shrewsbury, Mass., which belonged to a woman who was also found to a victim of a vehicle break-in in August.

Police towed the vehicle from the residence, and executed a search warrant a few days later, the report states. Inside the vehicle, investigators discovered multiple wigs and clothing, as well as a pink Post-It note affixed to the interior of the driver’s side door, bearing the personal information and details of the woman’s identity that Helmer was using, the report states.

Following the search, police filed a warrant for Helmer’s arrest, the report states. (Documents do not disclose when and where she was apprehended.)

As a result of the investigation, Helmer has been charged with felony counts of forgery, identity theft and attempted theft by deception, as well as misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property, possessing an instrument of crime, eluding law enforcement, bad checks and tampering with evidence.

Helmer was arraigned on Nov. 6 by Magisterial District Judge Cathy Rebar, who set bail at $90,000 cash. She was then remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility after failing to post bail. Helmer had her preliminary hearing on Nov. 15 in front of Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine, and her next court appearance is a formal arraignment at the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas on Jan. 2, 2020, at 9:30 a.m.

In addition to the local charges, Helmer is facing eight felony charges that were filed in Lower Providence Township on Oct. 29, and two dozen felony and misdemeanor charges that were filed in East Norriton Township on Oct. 28.

(Editor’s note: All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause, and reflects the point of view of the police. Should the defendant choose to issue a public statement, or is later found not guilty or has the charges dropped, we will update this article accordingly.)