WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:04.000 Here is another in NBC's great parade of new shows. 00:04.000 --> 00:11.000 ["Dragnet Theme"] 00:11.000 --> 00:15.000 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. 00:15.000 --> 00:19.000 Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. 00:19.000 --> 00:22.000 NBC brings you Dragnet. 00:22.000 --> 00:31.000 ["Dragnet Theme"] 00:31.000 --> 00:36.000 You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to auto theft detail. 00:36.000 --> 00:40.000 In three months, more than 250 cars have been broken into. 00:40.000 --> 00:44.000 Property mounting well into thousands of dollars has been stolen. 00:44.000 --> 00:48.000 Two youthful members of the gang have been apprehended. 00:48.000 --> 00:53.000 The all-important brains of the criminal ring, the leaders, are still at large. 00:53.000 --> 00:56.000 Your job, get them. 00:56.000 --> 00:58.000 ["Dragnet Theme"] 00:58.000 --> 01:01.000 Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime, 01:01.000 --> 01:09.000 investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home, your family, and your life. 01:09.000 --> 01:13.000 For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, 01:13.000 --> 01:19.000 you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files. 01:19.000 --> 01:26.000 From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. 01:26.000 --> 01:30.000 ["Dragnet Theme"] 01:30.000 --> 01:33.000 It was Monday, March 2nd. It was cold in Los Angeles. 01:33.000 --> 01:36.000 We were working the night shift out of auto theft. 01:36.000 --> 01:41.000 My partner is Ben Romero. The boss is Ed Backstrand, chief of detectives. My name's Friday. 01:41.000 --> 01:49.000 I was on the way back from the interrogation room, and it was 10.58 p.m. when I got to room 26, chief of detectives' office. 01:49.000 --> 01:51.000 Real tough kids, aren't they? 01:51.000 --> 01:52.000 Yeah, they won't admit a thing. 01:52.000 --> 01:53.000 Now sit down. 01:53.000 --> 01:54.000 Thanks. 01:54.000 --> 01:55.000 When did you pick him up? 01:55.000 --> 01:59.000 About 8.30 tonight in the parking lot behind the Star Theater out on Sunset. 01:59.000 --> 02:02.000 He was lifting the radio out of a 48 convertible. He's had lots of experience. 02:02.000 --> 02:05.000 The report says you picked up a 19-year-old girl with him. 02:05.000 --> 02:10.000 She was waiting for the guy in a parked car across the street from the theater. The car was full of loot. 02:10.000 --> 02:14.000 The first real break we've had in those auto burglaries in three months, and it's no good to us. 02:14.000 --> 02:17.000 Neither one of them will talk. They won't even admit they know each other. 02:17.000 --> 02:18.000 You run makes on them? 02:18.000 --> 02:21.000 Just did. We've been questioning the boy for an hour, getting nowhere. 02:21.000 --> 02:23.000 What's his name again? 02:23.000 --> 02:25.000 Freeman. Stanley Freeman. 02:25.000 --> 02:32.000 Oh, yeah. Age 20. Address? Butte, Montana. Down here for a vacation. 02:32.000 --> 02:37.000 He doesn't lie very well, Ed. He's never been to Butte, Montana in his life. Knows less about the town than I do. 02:37.000 --> 02:38.000 Well, get to him. 02:38.000 --> 02:41.000 Right, Ed. 02:41.000 --> 02:42.000 Where'd you put the girl? 02:42.000 --> 02:46.000 We had a policewoman take her to our office. We can talk to her when we finish with the boy. 02:46.000 --> 02:47.000 And what's her story? 02:47.000 --> 02:50.000 Hasn't any. She won't even open her mouth. 02:50.000 --> 02:53.000 19 years old. Probably needs a good spanking. Now get him to talk. 02:53.000 --> 03:03.000 Right. 03:03.000 --> 03:04.000 Did you run him, Meg, Joe? 03:04.000 --> 03:06.000 Yeah. He's clean. 03:06.000 --> 03:09.000 Get wise, huh, flatfoot? 03:09.000 --> 03:12.000 Look, you're in a bad spot, son. That kind of talk isn't gonna help. 03:12.000 --> 03:13.000 Says you. 03:13.000 --> 03:20.000 We caught you red-handed trying to steal a radio that didn't belong to you from a car it didn't belong to you. Is that right? 03:20.000 --> 03:23.000 That's enough to send you to San Quentin, boy. You better give us the story. 03:23.000 --> 03:27.000 Shut up. We got all the evidence we need for him. 03:27.000 --> 03:33.000 Maybe you don't realize how serious this is. We've had more than 250 car burglaries in this city in the past three months. 03:33.000 --> 03:37.000 Over $200,000 worth of property's been stolen. That's a lot of money. 03:37.000 --> 03:38.000 So what? 03:38.000 --> 03:44.000 So you're the number one suspect, young fella. Your method of operation in breaking into that car tonight is the same used in most of the other burglaries. 03:44.000 --> 03:47.000 That means you're not gonna be tried just for this job tonight. 03:47.000 --> 03:49.000 What do you get in that flatfoot? 03:49.000 --> 03:57.000 Listen, son. In the state of California, breaking into a locked car is a felony. You can go to state penitentiary for that. 03:57.000 --> 04:01.000 And we're gonna file a complaint of burglary with a district attorney in the morning. 04:01.000 --> 04:06.000 You say you're from Butte, Montana. All right, I don't believe you, but we'll make sure. 04:06.000 --> 04:12.000 Ben, go down to our office and call the news photographers. Stanley here is gonna have his picture on the front page of every newspaper in Los Angeles tomorrow. 04:12.000 --> 04:14.000 Right, Joe. 04:14.000 --> 04:18.000 No. You can't. I won't let you. I got my rights. 04:18.000 --> 04:22.000 What's the matter, youngster? Everybody wants his picture in the paper. 04:22.000 --> 04:25.000 Yeah, well, I don't. I won't let him. 04:25.000 --> 04:30.000 We got your picture already for him, remember? They took it when they fingerprinted you. 04:30.000 --> 04:34.000 You can't use it. You can't. I'll get a lawyer. 04:34.000 --> 04:40.000 The reporters will be over in a couple of minutes. We have to give them your story and your picture, too. This one. 04:40.000 --> 04:42.000 You won't. You won't. Give it to me. Give it to me. 04:42.000 --> 04:47.000 All right, all right. All right, Freeman, get your hands off him. Now sit down. 04:47.000 --> 04:51.000 All right. Now let's have it straight. 04:51.000 --> 04:57.000 Don't let him use the picture. Don't let him. You can't. You can't do it. 04:57.000 --> 05:02.000 We got to have the truth, son. Now, look, you're 20 years old. You know right from wrong. 05:02.000 --> 05:06.000 You'll have to take your medicine. If you cooperate, we'll do all we can to help. 05:06.000 --> 05:14.000 I live out in the Wilshire district. All I wanted was a little extra money. 05:14.000 --> 05:17.000 We didn't take much. We didn't think it was so wrong. 05:17.000 --> 05:22.000 It was stealing, Freeman. You know that's wrong. Where do you live out there? 05:22.000 --> 05:29.000 Piper Avenue. 821 Piper. You won't give him my picture. 05:29.000 --> 05:34.000 You live there with your family? Yeah, my mother. Father's dead. 05:34.000 --> 05:40.000 Promise me you won't give him the picture. My mother, she'd see it. Promise me. 05:40.000 --> 05:45.000 You're working with a gang on those autoburgers. We know that now. Who are they? Where are they? And what's the setup? 05:45.000 --> 05:49.000 I can't. They'd get me for it. Who'd get you? 05:49.000 --> 05:54.000 I can't tell you. I can't. Who's your girlfriend, Stanley, the one you're with tonight? 05:54.000 --> 05:59.000 Joanne. Joanne Miller. Where does she live? 05:59.000 --> 06:04.000 Piper Avenue, same as me. Lives on the same block. 866. 06:04.000 --> 06:11.000 Is that her home? She live there with her folks? Yeah. Mother and father. They work. 06:11.000 --> 06:14.000 And you got her into this. Isn't that the story she gave us, Ben? 06:14.000 --> 06:19.000 I did not. I didn't. It was her. She said a bunch of kids were doing it. 06:19.000 --> 06:23.000 It was quick money. Something to do with it. She started it. 06:23.000 --> 06:26.000 All right, Romero. I'll go see the girl. You stay here with Freeman. 06:26.000 --> 06:30.000 All right, Jo. Just stay put in that chair for him. 06:36.000 --> 06:39.000 Hi, Marge. Hello, Jo. You and Romero handling this case? 06:39.000 --> 06:42.000 Yeah. I'd like to talk to the girl a few minutes. Marge, would you stand by? 06:42.000 --> 06:45.000 Right. I'll sit over here. Thanks. 06:46.000 --> 06:48.000 All right, Miss. What's your name, age and address? 06:48.000 --> 06:52.000 I told this lady cop 15 minutes ago I'm not saying anything. 06:52.000 --> 06:56.000 All right. Then we'll tell you. Your name's Joanne Miller. You live at 866 Piper Avenue. 06:56.000 --> 06:58.000 You live with your father and mother. Both of them work. 06:58.000 --> 07:02.000 You're a liar. That's not me. You're 19 years old. You live on the same block as your boyfriend, Stanley Freeman. 07:02.000 --> 07:05.000 And you're the one who got it mixed up in this gang. Isn't that right? 07:05.000 --> 07:08.000 No, it's not right. It's not. I didn't do anything. 07:08.000 --> 07:11.000 That's only half the story. Freeman told us everything. You want to hear the rest? 07:11.000 --> 07:13.000 No. Stan wouldn't tell you. He wouldn't. 07:13.000 --> 07:17.000 He told us how you got it mixed up in it. Quick money. That's what you told him, didn't you? 07:17.000 --> 07:22.000 No, it was him. I can prove it. The rest of the kids will tell you. He got me in this. 07:22.000 --> 07:26.000 Ask them. They'll tell you. It was Stanley and Fred Milford and George Jansen. 07:26.000 --> 07:28.000 They started it. All three of them. 07:28.000 --> 07:31.000 All right. Will you tell the story to a police stenographer? 07:31.000 --> 07:34.000 I'll tell him everything. He's not blaming this on me. 07:34.000 --> 07:36.000 Marge, will you go get the stenographer? 07:36.000 --> 07:38.000 Right, Joanne. 07:38.000 --> 07:40.000 Now, how many persons in this gang are yours? 07:40.000 --> 07:44.000 About 10 or 12. And it's not my gang either. 07:44.000 --> 07:47.000 He got me into this and now he's trying to lie his way out blaming me. 07:47.000 --> 07:49.000 How long have you been doing this burglarizing cars? 07:49.000 --> 07:52.000 Me? Only about two weeks. 07:52.000 --> 07:54.000 It was supposed to be fun. Something to do at night. 07:54.000 --> 07:56.000 The rest of them have been out at a couple of months. 07:56.000 --> 07:58.000 Who's the head of the gang? 07:58.000 --> 08:02.000 I told you. It's him, Stanley, and Fred Milford and Jansen. All three. 08:02.000 --> 08:05.000 I only started going out with them two weeks ago. Maybe less. 08:05.000 --> 08:08.000 All right, Joanne. Tell it to the stenographer the same way. 08:09.000 --> 08:11.000 The stenographer will be in a minute, Joe. 08:11.000 --> 08:13.000 Okay, Marge. Thanks. Stay with it. 08:13.000 --> 08:15.000 All right, Joe. 08:21.000 --> 08:24.000 Just about a closed case, Ben. The girl gave us a full confession. 08:24.000 --> 08:28.000 She didn't! Oh, you're not tricking me again. She didn't. 08:28.000 --> 08:30.000 She told us you're one of the leaders of the gang, Stanley. 08:30.000 --> 08:34.000 Said you got her into all this. The other two are Joanne and Fred. 08:34.000 --> 08:36.000 The other two are George Jansen and Fred Milford. 08:36.000 --> 08:39.000 About a dozen kids in the gang. All of them about your age. Isn't that right? 08:39.000 --> 08:45.000 She's lying, can't you tell? She's lying. She got me into the gang. 08:45.000 --> 08:48.000 She did. She's Milford's girlfriend. Ask her. 08:48.000 --> 08:53.000 Oh, she can't lie out of that one. She got me into it. I can prove it. 08:53.000 --> 08:54.000 Who's the real leader of the gang? 08:54.000 --> 08:57.000 Milford. He started it. He organized the whole thing. 08:57.000 --> 09:02.000 He collects the stuff we get and he delivers it. Jansen helps him do it. 09:02.000 --> 09:05.000 What do you mean he delivers the stuff? Where does he deliver it? 09:05.000 --> 09:10.000 Somewhere in Dogtown, I think. Down around South Main, near the railroad yards. 09:10.000 --> 09:12.000 Who's it delivered to? 09:12.000 --> 09:17.000 I don't know exactly. I heard Jansen mention the name once. 09:17.000 --> 09:21.000 Myra, he said. It's supposed to be a big secret. 09:21.000 --> 09:24.000 Myra, that's all I remember. 09:24.000 --> 09:27.000 Where does Jansen and Milford live? 09:27.000 --> 09:32.000 Jansen rooms down on East Flower. 1042, I think it's a rooming house. 09:32.000 --> 09:37.000 And Milford lives two blocks over from me on Quincy. 234, Quincy. 09:37.000 --> 09:38.000 He lives with his grandmother. 09:38.000 --> 09:39.000 Got that, Ben? 09:39.000 --> 09:40.000 Right. 09:40.000 --> 09:42.000 All right, let's pick up Milford and Jansen. 09:46.000 --> 09:52.000 It was ten minutes past one when Ben and I returned to headquarters with George Jansen and Fred Milford in our custody. 09:52.000 --> 10:02.000 In Jansen's room at 1042 East Flower Street, we found two fur coats, a box full of new car accessories, an SNW 38 revolver, and a 45 automatic. 10:02.000 --> 10:11.000 When we picked up Fred Milford at his home, we discovered five deluxe car radios hidden in the garage, plus a valuable assortment of cameras, cigarette lighters, and clothing. 10:11.000 --> 10:14.000 Both Jansen and Milford refused to talk. 10:14.000 --> 10:20.000 But when we got them to headquarters and showed them the signed statements of Stanley Freeman and the girl, Joanne Miller, they broke. 10:20.000 --> 10:25.000 Milford, where else did you and your gang operate besides the Wilshire District? 10:25.000 --> 10:27.000 No place, only out there, that's all. 10:27.000 --> 10:29.000 Same type of car burglaries have been committed all over the city. 10:29.000 --> 10:31.000 You're telling us your gang didn't have a hand in them? 10:31.000 --> 10:34.000 It's the truth. Our territory was Wilshire District. We didn't go outside. 10:34.000 --> 10:36.000 You mean some other gang's responsible. 10:36.000 --> 10:38.000 I don't know. All I know is we didn't have any part of them. 10:38.000 --> 10:40.000 Is there another gang, Milford? 10:40.000 --> 10:43.000 Maybe, I don't know. You find out. It's none of my business. 10:43.000 --> 10:49.000 It is your business, Milford. You admit you and your gang committed 55 jobs in the past three and a half months. That leaves about 200 jobs to be accounted for. 10:49.000 --> 10:51.000 That's right. You figure it out. 10:51.000 --> 10:56.000 We have figured it out. I think you and your gang of young thieves pulled every one of those 250 jobs. There isn't any other gang. 10:56.000 --> 10:58.000 That's the story the district attorney's gonna get. 10:58.000 --> 11:00.000 You're crazy. There is. I know there is. 11:00.000 --> 11:03.000 Then give us the information and save yourself a lot of trouble. 11:03.000 --> 11:06.000 We're not the only ones. That's all I know. 11:06.000 --> 11:09.000 Milford, do you know how many years you get for Otto Berger? 11:09.000 --> 11:14.000 I told you, we're not the only ones. There must be a couple of others besides us. Vince Mahoney, he's got a gang. 11:14.000 --> 11:16.000 Where does Mahoney operate? 11:16.000 --> 11:17.000 West Hollywood and Beverly. 11:17.000 --> 11:18.000 Where does he live? 11:18.000 --> 11:21.000 I don't know. Honest, I only met him a couple of times. 11:21.000 --> 11:22.000 Where'd you meet him? 11:22.000 --> 11:23.000 I don't remember. 11:23.000 --> 11:25.000 Where'd you meet him, Milford? 11:25.000 --> 11:29.000 Delivery. I met him down at the delivery place a couple of nights. 11:29.000 --> 11:32.000 When you delivered the property you stole from cars, is that right? 11:32.000 --> 11:33.000 Yeah. 11:33.000 --> 11:34.000 Where was that? 11:34.000 --> 11:35.000 Down by the railroad yards. 11:35.000 --> 11:36.000 Where? 11:36.000 --> 11:39.000 Shavis Street. It's a little alley off East Main. 11:39.000 --> 11:40.000 Who'd you deliver the stuff to? 11:40.000 --> 11:43.000 I told you, our name's Myra. That's all I know. 11:43.000 --> 11:48.000 We meet her and some guy on Tuesday nights, we give them the stuff and they pay us off. 11:48.000 --> 11:50.000 Mahoney delivers the same night I do. 11:50.000 --> 11:52.000 Do you meet her every Tuesday night? 11:52.000 --> 11:53.000 Yeah. 11:53.000 --> 11:55.000 You're gonna meet her this Tuesday, tomorrow night? 11:55.000 --> 11:57.000 I don't know, I guess so. 11:57.000 --> 11:58.000 Same place? 11:58.000 --> 11:59.000 Yeah. 11:59.000 --> 12:01.000 Are you the only one she deals with? 12:01.000 --> 12:04.000 Sometimes Joanne, me or Joanne. 12:04.000 --> 12:08.000 I know what you're thinking. You want to use me to trap Myra. 12:08.000 --> 12:10.000 What's it worth? 12:10.000 --> 12:12.000 You know better than that. 12:12.000 --> 12:14.000 How about it, Milford? 12:14.000 --> 12:17.000 Oh, what else can I do? 12:17.000 --> 12:19.000 Give me another cigarette. 12:23.000 --> 12:27.000 By 3.30 that morning, the sign statements and confessions were piling up fast. 12:27.000 --> 12:31.000 Milford gave us a list of the names and addresses of each member in his gang, 12:31.000 --> 12:34.000 and within an hour they were all under questioning at headquarters. 12:34.000 --> 12:40.000 Most of the suspects, about one third of them girls, ranged in age from 18 to 21. 12:40.000 --> 12:45.000 As they told their individual stories, the scope of the case grew until it covered most of the city. 12:45.000 --> 12:48.000 By late afternoon of the next day, Tuesday, March 3rd, 12:48.000 --> 12:53.000 three more gangs operating in Venice, Bel Air, and North Hollywood had been apprehended. 12:53.000 --> 13:00.000 They confessed to more than 175 burglaries from locked cars during the past three and a half months. 13:00.000 --> 13:04.000 At five o'clock that afternoon, Ben and I met with Chief Backstrand in his office. 13:04.000 --> 13:06.000 How many admissions do you have now? 13:06.000 --> 13:10.000 Over 50, Ed. Here are the gang leader's statements. 13:10.000 --> 13:11.000 What's their story? 13:11.000 --> 13:15.000 It's pretty much the same. They all say this woman Myra set up the operation. 13:15.000 --> 13:18.000 You mean she got the kids and put them to work burglarizing cars? 13:18.000 --> 13:22.000 Well, not exactly. She picked the leaders, contacted them in bars or on the street, 13:22.000 --> 13:25.000 asked them if they wanted to pick up some spare money getting auto parts for her. 13:25.000 --> 13:28.000 Then she didn't tell them to go out and burglarize cars? 13:28.000 --> 13:30.000 Well, not in so many words, Ed, no. 13:30.000 --> 13:33.000 After they brought in auto parts for a couple of weeks, 13:33.000 --> 13:36.000 she told them to bring her everything they could find outside the car or inside. 13:36.000 --> 13:37.000 Those were the words she used. 13:37.000 --> 13:40.000 Five of the kids dictated those words into their signed confession. 13:40.000 --> 13:44.000 That should hold in court. What else did you get on this woman? 13:44.000 --> 13:48.000 Oh, she taught them how to work, told them to wear gloves, all angles. 13:48.000 --> 13:54.000 Well, we got most of the small fry. Now, where do we find this Myra woman? Any description on her? 13:54.000 --> 13:59.000 Yeah. Kids say she's about 33, 34. Good-looking redhead. 13:59.000 --> 14:02.000 Five feet five, about 120. Welded red. 14:02.000 --> 14:04.000 No description on the guy she runs with. 14:04.000 --> 14:05.000 You run a make on her yet? 14:05.000 --> 14:08.000 Yeah. No previous record. We set up a stakeout for her tonight. 14:08.000 --> 14:12.000 Two of the gang leaders have volunteered to go along, this Milford and Vince Mahoney. 14:12.000 --> 14:16.000 Good. Down on Chavez, where she usually meets them? 14:16.000 --> 14:17.000 Yeah, that's right. 14:17.000 --> 14:18.000 When? 14:18.000 --> 14:22.000 Eleven fifteen. That's the regular time for the meet, according to the kid. 14:22.000 --> 14:26.000 All right, I'll be at home. Call me. I don't want to miss out on this one. 14:26.000 --> 14:33.000 When Ben and I left Ed Backstrand's office, we went home for dinner and a few hours sleep. 14:33.000 --> 14:36.000 At nine thirty p.m., we were back at the office. 14:36.000 --> 14:41.000 We met the men in the special detail, which Backstrand had assigned for the stakeout that night. 14:41.000 --> 14:46.000 We briefed them on their duties, and then we got Fred Milford and Vince Mahoney out of their cells. 14:46.000 --> 14:53.000 To avoid any possible suspicion of the presence of a trap, we had Milford's permission to use his car in the stakeout, 14:53.000 --> 14:59.000 the car which he had said he had driven to the delivery meetings with the woman Myra at least a dozen times before. 14:59.000 --> 15:04.000 We arrived at the stakeout area, Chavez Alley in East Main, at nine fifty eight. 15:04.000 --> 15:07.000 The meeting was scheduled for eleven fifteen. 15:07.000 --> 15:13.000 The moon was out, but the sky was overcast, and it was a cold wind blowing from the east. 15:13.000 --> 15:15.000 Hey, what time you got, Sergeant? 15:15.000 --> 15:19.000 Hmm, about ten. Why, Milford, you getting nervous? 15:19.000 --> 15:20.000 No, I'm just wondering. 15:20.000 --> 15:22.000 How are you cops going to rig this thing? 15:22.000 --> 15:27.000 In just a couple of minutes, we're going to plant you two and Milford's car parked up there in the alley. 15:27.000 --> 15:30.000 Now, you stay there until Myra shows up. We'll do the rest. 15:30.000 --> 15:34.000 Yeah, I know, but what'll we say? Suppose she asks for some stuff. We ain't got any. 15:34.000 --> 15:36.000 You won't need any. You won't have much time for talking. 15:36.000 --> 15:39.000 Suppose she wises up. Maybe she'll pull a gun. 15:39.000 --> 15:40.000 Maybe? Does she carry one? 15:40.000 --> 15:42.000 No, never saw her with one. 15:42.000 --> 15:45.000 Don't worry, Milford. We'll make sure you're not in danger. 15:45.000 --> 15:47.000 She's got an awful temper, that redhead. 15:47.000 --> 15:51.000 Got mad at me once when I squawked at the price she was paying us for radios. 15:51.000 --> 15:53.000 What was she paying you, Mahoney? 15:53.000 --> 15:57.000 Oh, for an eight-tube radio, good shape, seven bucks. 15:57.000 --> 15:59.000 So you got all the gravy and you got all the grief. 15:59.000 --> 16:00.000 You're not kidding. 16:00.000 --> 16:01.000 Joe? 16:01.000 --> 16:02.000 Hmm? 16:02.000 --> 16:03.000 Are you? 16:03.000 --> 16:04.000 Yeah, Steve. What do you got? 16:04.000 --> 16:07.000 Well, the men are all stanked out, Joe. I got the area covered from every angle. 16:07.000 --> 16:09.000 All right. You got an extra man to stay in Milford's car? 16:09.000 --> 16:10.000 I'll handle that myself. 16:10.000 --> 16:11.000 Fine, thanks. 16:11.000 --> 16:13.000 Okay. All set, Joe? 16:13.000 --> 16:17.000 Yeah. Now, Milford and Mahoney, we're going to put you two in your car now. 16:17.000 --> 16:20.000 There's going to be an officer with you, so there's no need to be nervous or afraid. 16:20.000 --> 16:22.000 You just sit in the car and act natural. 16:22.000 --> 16:25.000 When this Myra drives up, don't leave the car. 16:25.000 --> 16:27.000 I have her come to you. You got it? 16:27.000 --> 16:28.000 Sure. 16:28.000 --> 16:29.000 Okay. 16:29.000 --> 16:30.000 All right, Joe, let's go. 16:34.000 --> 16:38.000 Sure is cold out. I don't even have a heater in my car. 16:38.000 --> 16:40.000 You stole enough of them. 16:43.000 --> 16:45.000 Okay, Steve, here they are. 16:45.000 --> 16:48.000 All right, boys. Milford, get in first behind the wheel. 16:48.000 --> 16:49.000 Okay. 16:49.000 --> 16:51.000 Now, sit in the middle. Now, sit in the back. 16:51.000 --> 16:53.000 We'll be parking that garage across the street, Steve. 16:53.000 --> 16:55.000 Got a perfect view of the alley. 16:55.000 --> 16:56.000 Okay, Ben. Check with your lady. 16:56.000 --> 16:57.000 All right. 17:01.000 --> 17:02.000 Mean night, Joe. 17:02.000 --> 17:04.000 Yeah. Come on. 17:12.000 --> 17:14.000 It's cold here in the garage, isn't it? 17:14.000 --> 17:16.000 Yeah. 17:16.000 --> 17:19.000 That might be a long wait. 17:19.000 --> 17:21.000 What time you got? 17:21.000 --> 17:23.000 Six minutes past ten. 17:23.000 --> 17:25.000 Thank you. 17:31.000 --> 17:33.000 Hey, Joe, what is it? 17:33.000 --> 17:35.000 Uh, it's nothing. 17:35.000 --> 17:38.000 I thought that passing car was turning in the alley. 17:38.000 --> 17:40.000 Relax. It's early. 17:40.000 --> 17:43.000 It's a lonely place. 17:43.000 --> 17:46.000 It's dark. It gets on your nerves. 17:54.000 --> 17:56.000 That's it, Ben. Half past eleven. 17:56.000 --> 17:58.000 Nothing yet. 17:58.000 --> 17:59.000 Somebody might have tipped her off. 17:59.000 --> 18:01.000 Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. 18:01.000 --> 18:03.000 Now, let's wait it out anyway. 18:04.000 --> 18:06.000 Joe, that blue coupe... 18:06.000 --> 18:08.000 Yeah, it just turned in the alley. Let's go. 18:08.000 --> 18:10.000 Come on, run, Ben. 18:10.000 --> 18:12.000 Behind you. 18:12.000 --> 18:14.000 All right, all right, you fella. Quit your fight. 18:14.000 --> 18:15.000 Who'd you get, Steve? 18:15.000 --> 18:17.000 Here he is. Just drove up in the coupe. 18:17.000 --> 18:19.000 Got out and called Milford Mahoney by the first names. 18:19.000 --> 18:20.000 He's in on it. 18:20.000 --> 18:21.000 What about the girl? 18:21.000 --> 18:23.000 No sign. Kid was the only one in the car. 18:23.000 --> 18:25.000 All right. Tell them in the stakeouts offer tonight. 18:25.000 --> 18:26.000 Have them report back in. 18:26.000 --> 18:27.000 We'll take the kid with us. 18:27.000 --> 18:28.000 Okay. 18:28.000 --> 18:29.000 All right, young fella. This way. 18:29.000 --> 18:30.000 What do you cops think you're doing? 18:30.000 --> 18:31.000 I ain't done nothing. 18:31.000 --> 18:34.000 Look, sport, we heard that from 54 different kids yesterday. 18:34.000 --> 18:36.000 We're talking about the police. 18:36.000 --> 18:40.000 54 different kids yesterday. We're tired of that line. Come on. 18:44.000 --> 18:48.000 When we got back to the office, we took the boy to the interrogation room and questioned him. 18:48.000 --> 18:52.000 He gave his name as Matthew Leiter, age 21. 18:52.000 --> 18:57.000 He wouldn't break until Vince Mahoney definitely identified him as a member of his car burglary gang 18:57.000 --> 19:00.000 and the special favorite of the redheaded woman they called Myra. 19:00.000 --> 19:05.000 Then Leiter copped out and told Ben and I that he had talked with Myra as late as 10 o'clock tonight. 19:05.000 --> 19:09.000 He told us that she had heard that the police had picked up some of the gang members 19:09.000 --> 19:12.000 and she asked Leiter to drive down to the Chavez Alley meeting place. 19:12.000 --> 19:17.000 He was supposed to tell Milford and Mahoney that the weekly delivery date was off until further notice. 19:17.000 --> 19:20.000 We questioned Matthew Leiter for an hour and a half. 19:20.000 --> 19:25.000 You told us a little while ago that you talked with this woman Myra late tonight. 19:25.000 --> 19:26.000 Yeah. 19:26.000 --> 19:27.000 Where'd you talk to her? Her home? 19:27.000 --> 19:30.000 Her home? Don't be stupid. Nobody knows where she lives. 19:30.000 --> 19:31.000 I met her at a bar. 19:31.000 --> 19:32.000 Which bar? 19:32.000 --> 19:35.000 Julius. Out of Santa Monica. 19:35.000 --> 19:36.000 How did she contact you? 19:36.000 --> 19:40.000 Called me at home. She's not such a bad dame. She treats you right. 19:40.000 --> 19:44.000 Sure, that's why you're in jail. Did you ever call her on the phone? 19:44.000 --> 19:47.000 I don't know her number. None of the kids do. She's smart. 19:47.000 --> 19:51.000 She taught me all I know about the ragged. You'll have a rough time getting her. 19:51.000 --> 19:53.000 Maybe, but we'll get her. 19:56.000 --> 20:00.000 Ben and I left the office at 2 a.m. and went home to bed. 20:00.000 --> 20:04.000 We reported in at 8 that morning to head backstrand. 20:04.000 --> 20:08.000 The three of us went down the street to Cokin's Restaurant for a cup of coffee. 20:08.000 --> 20:10.000 Nobody was in a good mood. 20:10.000 --> 20:14.000 We had most or all the small fry in the city-wide burglary ring, 20:14.000 --> 20:18.000 but it seemed we were still a long way from cracking the inner circle. 20:18.000 --> 20:22.000 Leiter said that none of them knows where she lives, what her phone number is, nothing. 20:22.000 --> 20:24.000 Pice of sugary. 20:24.000 --> 20:28.000 I think we still have a few angles to study on that scourm. 20:28.000 --> 20:31.000 Right now, I've got some more bad news for you. 20:31.000 --> 20:32.000 What's that? 20:32.000 --> 20:34.000 Been through your mail this morning? 20:34.000 --> 20:36.000 No, not yet. We haven't had a chance. 20:36.000 --> 20:40.000 I saw the overnight reports. There were 32 car burglaries last night. 20:40.000 --> 20:44.000 32. All the way from Wilmington to North Hollywood. Now you figure it. 20:44.000 --> 20:49.000 I can't. This girl Myra must have an army of kids working for her. 20:49.000 --> 20:51.000 How much did they get, Ed? Any idea? 20:51.000 --> 20:53.000 Rough estimate, about $3,000. 20:53.000 --> 20:57.000 Usual stuff people are foolish enough to leave in their cars. 20:57.000 --> 21:00.000 Watches, cameras, furs, expensive clothes. 21:00.000 --> 21:01.000 M.O. is the same? 21:01.000 --> 21:03.000 Like the others. 21:03.000 --> 21:05.000 If the car happens to have a rigid handle lock, 21:05.000 --> 21:09.000 they slip a piece of pipe over the handle for a lever and break it. 21:09.000 --> 21:12.000 If that doesn't work, they pry open the wing window. 21:12.000 --> 21:14.000 Some of the windows were smashed out. 21:14.000 --> 21:16.000 Sounds like you're in an awful hurry, Jill. 21:16.000 --> 21:20.000 Yeah, maybe this Myra wants a few big nights before she peddles the stuff and gets out. 21:20.000 --> 21:22.000 If we're going to get her, we can't waste time. 21:22.000 --> 21:24.000 Any suspects picked up last night, Skipper? 21:24.000 --> 21:25.000 None. 21:25.000 --> 21:27.000 Where did they hit most of the cars? 21:27.000 --> 21:31.000 Outside the Pan Pacific. A parking lot. Hockey game going on. 21:31.000 --> 21:34.000 Must have been 4,000 cars for them to pick over. 21:34.000 --> 21:35.000 They picked the best. 21:35.000 --> 21:36.000 As usual. 21:36.000 --> 21:39.000 Well, you better get on it. 21:39.000 --> 21:41.000 There's one way to handle it. 21:41.000 --> 21:42.000 What's that? 21:42.000 --> 21:45.000 She works fast. You work a little faster. 21:47.000 --> 21:50.000 We got back to the office and we went over the reports one by one. 21:50.000 --> 21:53.000 Then we called the young gang members to the interrogation room 21:53.000 --> 21:55.000 and questioned them separately and re-questioned them. 21:55.000 --> 21:57.000 We got nowhere. 21:57.000 --> 22:00.000 Many of them had met Myra on the street in a bar, 22:00.000 --> 22:02.000 but not one of them had any idea where she lived. 22:02.000 --> 22:04.000 At least that's what they told us. 22:04.000 --> 22:08.000 Ben had a hunch that Matthew Leiter knew more than he was telling. 22:08.000 --> 22:11.000 We had him brought to the interrogation room and all that afternoon 22:11.000 --> 22:15.000 until 10 o'clock that night, with interruptions for his meal periods, 22:15.000 --> 22:16.000 we talked with Leiter. 22:16.000 --> 22:19.000 He would admit nothing more than what he'd already told us. 22:19.000 --> 22:21.000 Yeah, it's got me beat, Joe. 22:21.000 --> 22:23.000 Well, let's check with Ed. 22:26.000 --> 22:27.000 Good morning, Joe. Ben? 22:27.000 --> 22:29.000 Hi, Mike. Skipper in? 22:29.000 --> 22:31.000 Just went down the hall for a minute. Be right back. 22:31.000 --> 22:32.000 Hold it a minute, will you? 22:32.000 --> 22:33.000 Yeah. 22:33.000 --> 22:35.000 Chief of Detectives, I was handing... 22:35.000 --> 22:38.000 Yeah. For you, Joe. 22:38.000 --> 22:39.000 Oh, thanks. 22:40.000 --> 22:42.000 Well, yeah. 22:42.000 --> 22:44.000 He does? We'll be right over. 22:46.000 --> 22:47.000 It was Sergeant Hopkins over at the jail. 22:47.000 --> 22:48.000 Oh, yeah? 22:48.000 --> 22:50.000 Matthew Leiter's got something to tell us. 22:50.000 --> 22:51.000 Says it's important. 22:59.000 --> 23:01.000 Have a chair here, Leiter. 23:01.000 --> 23:03.000 Yeah, thanks. 23:03.000 --> 23:05.000 All right. You wanted to see us. 23:05.000 --> 23:07.000 I'm getting even with that damn Myra. 23:07.000 --> 23:08.000 I'm squaring with you. 23:08.000 --> 23:09.000 Yeah? 23:09.000 --> 23:12.000 If you told me if I was picked up, she'd have me out in a couple of hours. 23:12.000 --> 23:14.000 She promised me a lawyer if anything happened. 23:14.000 --> 23:16.000 Said she'd get me bail. 23:16.000 --> 23:17.000 All right. Where can we find her? 23:17.000 --> 23:21.000 I don't know if she's there now, but you can find out at Francisco Motors. 23:21.000 --> 23:23.000 Big used car lot. Garage, too. 23:23.000 --> 23:26.000 It's out on Melrose Pass, La Cienega. 23:26.000 --> 23:27.000 What's the tie-up? 23:27.000 --> 23:29.000 That's where she fenced most of the stuff we stole. 23:29.000 --> 23:32.000 Some old guy she buddies with runs the place. 23:32.000 --> 23:34.000 Big shop in the back. 23:34.000 --> 23:36.000 Store a lot of hot stuff there. 23:37.000 --> 23:38.000 Barney. 23:38.000 --> 23:39.000 Yeah, Sergeant? 23:39.000 --> 23:41.000 We're through with him. Take him back. 23:41.000 --> 23:48.000 We checked with Chief Backstrand, and then we drove out to the Francisco Motor Company. 23:48.000 --> 23:51.000 We located it on the corner of Melrose and Geneva Avenue. 23:51.000 --> 23:53.000 It was a big layout. 23:53.000 --> 23:59.000 Consisted of a large used car lot sign, banner-ing the slogan, Deluxe Auto Accessories. 23:59.000 --> 24:01.000 Lowest prices in town. 24:01.000 --> 24:05.000 Along the back end of the lot, there was a large L-shaped garage. 24:05.000 --> 24:10.000 We found the man in charge, and he gave his name as Paul Hackett, the owner of the car lot. 24:10.000 --> 24:14.000 In the garage, we found the entrance to a large back storeroom. 24:14.000 --> 24:20.000 It was loaded with thousands of dollars worth of auto radios, spotlights, cratefuls of assorted car accessories. 24:20.000 --> 24:25.000 Special closets built into the walls of the garage contain racks of fur coats, suits, dresses. 24:25.000 --> 24:30.000 Below that, smaller boxes containing watches and cameras all wrapped in tissue paper. 24:30.000 --> 24:35.000 You can save all of us a lot of time and trouble by talking to us now, Mr. Hackett. Where is Myra? 24:35.000 --> 24:39.000 I don't know who you're talking about. I don't know what you're talking about. 24:39.000 --> 24:41.000 Can you explain what we just found in your garage? 24:41.000 --> 24:43.000 I didn't know it was there. I didn't know it was stolen. 24:43.000 --> 24:45.000 Well, which is it, Mr. Hackett? Make up your mind. 24:45.000 --> 24:49.000 I bought it. But I didn't know it was stolen. You can't prove I did know. 24:49.000 --> 24:53.000 I think we can prove it, Mr. Hackett. Some of those stolen car radios stored back there, 24:53.000 --> 24:57.000 the serial numbers are filed off, and this workbench here is full of filings. 24:57.000 --> 24:59.000 I...I didn't know. 24:59.000 --> 25:02.000 You'll have to do better than that. How does Myra figure in? 25:02.000 --> 25:05.000 I don't know. I don't know what you're talking about. 25:05.000 --> 25:09.000 It's all right with us, Hackett. We found the stuff and we got you. 25:09.000 --> 25:13.000 If we don't find Myra, you'll be doing time for two people. Stand still. 25:13.000 --> 25:17.000 You can't...you can't do this to me. I don't know anything about it. 25:17.000 --> 25:20.000 Come on, Hackett. We're taking you in. 25:24.000 --> 25:28.000 All right, get in the car. Come on, in the car. 25:28.000 --> 25:30.000 Am I going to jail? 25:30.000 --> 25:32.000 You're going to jail. 25:32.000 --> 25:36.000 All right. I'll take you to Myra. 25:39.000 --> 25:43.000 Hackett told us that Myra lived at 1345 Munich Drive in Beverly Hills. 25:43.000 --> 25:45.000 He said that he was Myra's husband. 25:45.000 --> 25:49.000 He told us that he'd been in a legitimate garage business for ten years before he married Myra. 25:49.000 --> 25:51.000 She talked him into the ragged. 25:51.000 --> 25:54.000 He identified 1345 Munich Drive as their home. 25:54.000 --> 25:59.000 When we got there, we found stores of stolen property similar to those found in the garage. 25:59.000 --> 26:03.000 Myra was not there. Hackett had no idea where she might be. 26:03.000 --> 26:06.000 We sat down in the living room and waited. 26:10.000 --> 26:13.000 One hour, two hours, three hours. 26:13.000 --> 26:18.000 After five hours of waiting, the monotony started to wear on everybody's nerves, especially Hackett's. 26:18.000 --> 26:22.000 The whole thing, it was her idea. I should have known, all hers. 26:22.000 --> 26:26.000 She did this to me. I won't take it alone. Where is she? 26:26.000 --> 26:27.000 You tell us, Hackett. 26:27.000 --> 26:31.000 I told you, I don't know. She couldn't have gone. She didn't know. 26:31.000 --> 26:32.000 I'm not going to take this long. 26:32.000 --> 26:34.000 All right, quiet down, quiet down. 26:36.000 --> 26:40.000 That you, Pa? I thought I heard you talking to some. Who's he? 26:40.000 --> 26:46.000 The police, Myra. The police. Your smart kids told them the whole story. 26:46.000 --> 26:49.000 What are you talking about, my smart kids? What are these cops doing here in the living room? 26:49.000 --> 26:50.000 All right, that's enough. 26:50.000 --> 26:51.000 Get your dirty hands off me. Get away. 26:51.000 --> 26:53.000 The kids are right, Joe. She got a temper. 26:53.000 --> 26:55.000 Who do you think you're... 26:55.000 --> 26:59.000 There, that ought to hold you for a while. All right, come on, you two. Let's go. 26:59.000 --> 27:04.000 All right, copper. You win. Stupid husbands. 27:04.000 --> 27:07.000 How many times did I tell you? Don't trust those kids. 27:07.000 --> 27:09.000 Don't store their stuff in the garage. Don't open it for anybody. 27:09.000 --> 27:13.000 Get a lawyer. No, you knew better. Dumb jerk. 27:13.000 --> 27:16.000 The idea of having those cops camping in the living room waiting for me. 27:16.000 --> 27:19.000 Why didn't you warn me? I'm going to divorce you. That's what I'm going to do. 27:19.000 --> 27:22.000 I'll stick you for plenty. Jerk. 27:22.000 --> 27:25.000 All right, inside you two. 27:29.000 --> 27:31.000 You got a smoke, Ben? 27:31.000 --> 27:33.000 Yeah. Right here. 27:33.000 --> 27:35.000 Thanks. 27:38.000 --> 27:40.000 I was just thinking. 27:40.000 --> 27:41.000 What? 27:41.000 --> 27:44.000 Those kids were right. She's a pretty nice looking woman. 27:44.000 --> 27:49.000 Yeah. Nice face. Beautiful figure. 27:49.000 --> 27:52.000 Sure talks a lot, though, doesn't she? 27:52.000 --> 27:54.000 Yeah. 27:54.000 --> 27:59.000 Hey, Joe, remind me to take home some flowers to my wife tonight, will you? 28:06.000 --> 28:09.000 The story you have just heard is true. 28:09.000 --> 28:13.000 Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. 28:13.000 --> 28:19.000 Paul and Myra Hackett were tried and convicted on seven separate counts of receiving stolen property. 28:19.000 --> 28:23.000 They are now serving out their sentences in the state penitentiary. 28:23.000 --> 28:30.000 Realizing that most of the young persons involved in the case were influenced by the strong personality of Paul and Myra Hackett, 28:30.000 --> 28:34.000 a separate investigation was made into the backgrounds and home life of the young offenders. 28:34.000 --> 28:43.000 In most cases, they were found to be basically good, and they were placed on probation and returned to their homes. 28:46.000 --> 28:51.000 You have just heard the 13th in a new series of authentic cases from official files. 28:51.000 --> 28:59.000 Technical advice for Dragnet comes from the office of W.A. Wharton, acting chief of police, Los Angeles Police Department. 28:59.000 --> 29:05.000 Tonight's program is dedicated to Detective Harry William Vosper of the Seattle Washington Police Department, 29:05.000 --> 29:13.000 who on the night of July 21, 1949, gave his life so that yours might be more secure. 29:16.000 --> 29:20.000 Dragnet came to you from Los Angeles. 29:21.000 --> 29:23.000 And now, an important announcement. 29:23.000 --> 29:29.000 Starting this Saturday, September 3, Dragnet will be heard at a new time over your NBC station. 29:29.000 --> 29:32.000 Consult your local newspaper for the new listening time. 29:32.000 --> 29:36.000 And now, speaking on behalf of the producers and the entire cast of Dragnet, 29:36.000 --> 29:42.000 we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your many kind letters of encouragement and approval. 29:42.000 --> 29:48.000 Remember, next Saturday for Dragnet, this is NBC, the national broadcasting company. 29:48.000 --> 29:51.000 Thank you.