Rena Lamp Arrested in Multi-State “Felony Lane Gang” Forgery Case
Bettendorf, Iowa – A woman accused of passing stolen checks at several Quad City banks has been arrested and is currently being held without bond in the Scott County Jail.
Rena Lamp, 57, whose address remains unknown, is facing multiple felony charges after a lengthy investigation linked her to a series of check fraud attempts in July 2023 — part of a criminal pattern known as “Felony Lane Gang” activity.
According to court documents, Lamp used stolen checks and IDs obtained through vehicle burglaries in Illinois to cash forged checks at Blackhawk Bank & Trust locations in Bettendorf, Davenport, and LeClaire, Iowa. She successfully passed four checks, each over $1,500, totaling more than $10,000 in losses. A fifth attempt in Moline was unsuccessful, and a fraudulent Illinois driver’s license was confiscated by the bank.
Investigators identified Lamp using surveillance footage and distinctive physical markers, including a unique tattoo on her upper left arm, matching mugshots from previous arrests in the New England area, where she was caught committing similar crimes.
Authorities say Lamp drove a rented SUV from Florida during her crime spree. Though the vehicle was rented under another woman’s name, Lamp was confirmed to be the sole occupant in each fraudulent transaction.
Lamp’s actions reflect the tactics often used by the so-called Felony Lane Gang — a term for loosely organized groups involved in multi-state fraud schemes. These rings frequently steal purses, wallets, and IDs from vehicles, then use the stolen information to cash forged checks, typically through the outermost bank drive-thru lane, dubbed the “felony lane.”
Following the Iowa incidents, warrants were issued in April 2023, and Lamp was ultimately apprehended on September 25, 2025. She now faces:
3 felony counts of forgery
1 felony count of identity theft
1 felony count of first-degree theft
2 misdemeanor counts of identity theft
A felony interstate detainer
Lamp is scheduled to be arraigned on October 23 in Scott County.
