1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:12,320 The story you are about to hear is true. 2 00:00:12,320 --> 00:00:15,080 The names have been changed to protect the innocent. 3 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:29,120 Fatima cigarettes, best of all king-size cigarettes, brings you dragnet. 4 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:32,800 For a detective sergeant, you're assigned a burglary detail. 5 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,760 A wave of shoplifting breaks out in your city. 6 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,320 There's no pattern to the thief's operations. 7 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:39,840 There are no leads. 8 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:41,080 Weeks pass. 9 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:43,360 The number of thefts keep growing. 10 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:49,040 Your job, stop them. 11 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,280 In Fatima, the difference is quality. 12 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:54,800 Confirmed by smokers coast to coast. 13 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,000 In Fatima, the difference is quality. 14 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,840 Confirmed by latest Fatima sales reports. 15 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,200 Yes, Fatima quality. 16 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:09,400 The finest domestic and Turkish tobaccos superbly blended to make Fatima extra mild. 17 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,560 To give you a much different, much better flavor and aroma. 18 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,740 So compare Fatima. 19 00:01:14,740 --> 00:01:19,840 See for yourself why thousands and thousands of king-size cigarette smokers are switching 20 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:22,120 to Fatima every day. 21 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:28,880 Enjoy all the advantages of extra length plus Fatima quality, which no other king-size cigarette 22 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:29,880 has. 23 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,640 Remember, Fatima's cost the same as the cigarettes you're now smoking. 24 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:37,360 But in Fatima, the difference is quality. 25 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:39,960 Next time, buy Fatima. 26 00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:44,560 Best of all, king-size cigarettes. 27 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:52,080 Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. 28 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:56,440 For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will 29 00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:01,000 travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official 30 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:02,600 police files. 31 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:07,780 From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force 32 00:02:07,780 --> 00:02:14,280 in action. 33 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,920 Tuesday, August 22nd was hot in Los Angeles. 34 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:19,720 We were working the day watch out of burglary detail. 35 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:21,120 My partner's Ben Romero. 36 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:22,560 The boss is Captain Wisdom. 37 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:23,560 My name's Friday. 38 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:29,160 It was 2 18 p.m. when we got to Anthony's store for women, the general manager's office. 39 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:30,160 Mr. Allen? 40 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:31,160 Come right in. 41 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:32,160 Thank you. 42 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:33,160 Thank you. 43 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:34,160 My name's Romero. 44 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,160 Sir, I talked to you on the phone. 45 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:37,160 This is my partner, Sergeant Friday. 46 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:38,160 How are you? 47 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:39,160 How are you? 48 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:40,160 Certainly glad to see you. 49 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:41,160 Let me get another chair here. 50 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:42,160 Thank you very much. 51 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:47,240 I haven't had time for my after lunch cigarette yet. 52 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:48,240 Care to join me? 53 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:49,240 No, thank you, sir. 54 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,240 I got a light for you. 55 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:55,240 Oh, yeah, yeah. 56 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:59,800 Well, I guess you know what the problem is. 57 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,200 No need for me to go all the way back and start from the beginning. 58 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:05,120 I didn't get it quite clear on the phone, Mr. Elliott. 59 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:06,400 When did this last thing come up? 60 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:10,160 Well, the way we have figured out, it must have happened around closing time yesterday, 61 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:12,080 between 5, 5.30, we figure. 62 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:14,120 The store was pretty crowded at that time, was it? 63 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:15,120 Yeah, it's pretty busy. 64 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,200 We had a special pre-winter showing in the fur department. 65 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:20,600 No one noticed it was gone until after we'd closed up. 66 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,080 Can you give us a description of the piece of merchandise, Mr. Elliott? 67 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:28,200 Yes, yeah, you got it right here. 68 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,800 Complete description, you see. 69 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:35,320 Silver blooming stole, satin lining, two slashed pockets, silver chain fastener. 70 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:37,320 Complete description of it for you. 71 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:38,320 Yes, I see. 72 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:39,320 Thank you. 73 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:40,680 These are the code numbers and the serial numbers on it, sir? 74 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:41,680 That's right. 75 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:43,920 The whole thing's getting way out of hand, Sergeant. 76 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:48,360 We had a lot of things lifted from the store the last few weeks, but nothing this big. 77 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:49,360 This keeps up. 78 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:51,200 I don't see how we're going to get our insurance renewed. 79 00:03:51,200 --> 00:03:54,840 I guess your store detectives are working on this latest one, the missing fur? 80 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,280 Yes, but it's the same as all the recent cases we've had. 81 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:00,200 They haven't been able to find a thing. 82 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:03,120 All the personnel have been checked, all the people who were around the department when 83 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:04,120 the fur was stolen. 84 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:06,960 I mean, those it was possible to check on. 85 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,600 As far as we know, they're all clear. 86 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:11,560 What were the circumstances of this thing, Mr. Elliott? 87 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,000 I mean, was this mink stole on a display rack? 88 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:15,720 Did one of the models have it on exactly? 89 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:16,720 How was it? 90 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:17,720 Well, it was modeled, yes. 91 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,160 After it was shown to several parties, it was put back in stock. 92 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:25,080 We have a special rack for the stoles, regularly enclosed cabinets, sliding doors on it. 93 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,000 Cabinets usually open during store hours. 94 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:28,000 I see. 95 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:30,680 There was a store detective in the department at the time. 96 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:32,520 All those salespeople were standing around. 97 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,600 I can't understand why one of them didn't see it happen. 98 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,760 Mr. Elliott, you say this is the first time an expensive item like this has been lifted 99 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:40,760 from your store? 100 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:41,760 That's right. 101 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:42,760 How about the personnel, Mr. Elliott? 102 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,960 You say there's been a check made on each one of them since this thing started? 103 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:46,960 Yes, sir, that's correct. 104 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:50,200 And there's no reason to be suspicious at all of any one of your people? 105 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:54,440 Well, as a matter of fact, there is one, Sergeant, salesgirl. 106 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,400 She was up in five in the Sweet 16 shop, then she was moved down to cosmetics on the street 107 00:04:58,400 --> 00:04:59,400 floor. 108 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:01,800 What is it that makes you suspicious of her? 109 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:05,640 Well, before I say anything, I want to make it pretty clear to you. 110 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:09,320 We've never had any real proof that there was something wrong there. 111 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:12,200 Dorothy started with us eight years ago. 112 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,560 That's a girl's name, Dorothy Kirkman. 113 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:16,000 She came to us right out of high school. 114 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:20,480 She seemed to be doing all right, get along with the customers, dressed neatly, always 115 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:21,480 on time. 116 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,480 And all of a sudden, this shoplifting started. 117 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:26,280 We didn't think there was any connection at first. 118 00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:28,280 Thought it was only coincidence. 119 00:05:28,280 --> 00:05:30,280 How do you mean? 120 00:05:30,280 --> 00:05:33,480 Well, just for instance, wait a minute, now. 121 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:37,880 Get the file in there right here in the desk. 122 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:39,520 I see. 123 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,560 There you go. 124 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,120 Here it is. 125 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:48,480 Out of the first 14 items that disappear, six of them are out of Dorothy Kirkman's department, 126 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:49,480 right out of her section. 127 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:51,520 Cashmere sweaters, expensive blouses, scarves. 128 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:57,040 As I say, at first we wrote it off to coincidence, but it kept recurring. 129 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,720 Her section almost seemed to be the focal point of all the shoplifting. 130 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,120 That was at the beginning, of course. 131 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:04,000 Did you have the Kirkman girl watched, Mr. Elliott? 132 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:05,000 Yes, we did. 133 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:06,680 The department had kept an eye on her. 134 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:08,760 I guess Dorothy noticed it. 135 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,520 She resented it quite a bit, had a little spat with the head of the department. 136 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:16,160 We thought it'd be best for everyone if she transferred. 137 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,040 So we had her move downstairs to cosmetics. 138 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:19,840 How did that arrangement work out? 139 00:06:19,840 --> 00:06:21,520 Well, the first few weeks, fine. 140 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:23,760 And we started missing things out of cosmetics. 141 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,080 A lot of it didn't amount to too much. 142 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:27,320 A lot of it did. 143 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:29,920 Makeup kits, expensive perfumes. 144 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,360 This time we called her in, tried to talk to her about it in a nice way. 145 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:35,400 She got very resentful. 146 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:37,000 She denied knowing anything about it, is that it? 147 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:38,240 Yes, she got very upset. 148 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,160 Of course, there is one thing I will say. 149 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,840 The items in cosmetics are on display all over the counter. 150 00:06:43,840 --> 00:06:46,400 It's fairly easy for anybody to pick them up. 151 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:50,160 The fact still remains, a stealing began in her department upstairs. 152 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:55,400 She moves over to cosmetics and all of a sudden the losses increase there. 153 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:56,400 What would you figure? 154 00:06:56,400 --> 00:06:57,400 Yes, I see what you mean. 155 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,640 I wonder if you could have somebody point out this Dorothy Kirkman for us, Mr. Elliott. 156 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:01,960 I think maybe we'd better have a talk with her. 157 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:02,960 We'd like to help you, Sergeant. 158 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:03,960 I'm afraid that's not possible. 159 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:04,960 Oh? 160 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:05,960 How do you mean? 161 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:09,640 She quit last Saturday. 162 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:13,680 We got all the information available on Dorothy Kirkman from the store's personnel files and 163 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:17,300 then we called the office and gave them a description of the stolen fur. 164 00:07:17,300 --> 00:07:19,840 We asked them to check the Kirkman girl through RNI. 165 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:21,980 She had no previous criminal record. 166 00:07:21,980 --> 00:07:25,160 Before we left the store we went to the fur department, talked to all the sales people 167 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,840 concerned, but we were unable to come up with anything new regarding the theft of the silver 168 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:30,720 blue mink stole. 169 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,080 We drove out to Dorothy Kirkman's last known address. 170 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,560 She wasn't at home, but her mother was. 171 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,320 The mother told us that the day before her daughter had started on a new job as a sales 172 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:44,580 girl at the House of Raymond, an exclusive shop specializing in all types of cosmetics. 173 00:07:44,580 --> 00:07:48,040 We checked the phone book and found that the House of Raymond was located in the same ten 174 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:52,600 block stretch along Wilshire Boulevard where the shoplifting campaign was going on. 175 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:56,640 It was one of the few places along there that the thieves hadn't bothered. 176 00:07:56,640 --> 00:08:00,480 It was three blocks from Anthony's store for women, the Kirkman girl's former place of 177 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:04,960 employment, 4.05 p.m. We located her behind one of the front counters. 178 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,320 Across the aisle half a dozen women were listening to a makeup demonstrator giving a talk on 179 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:10,200 complexion care. 180 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,680 Dorothy Kirkman seemed pleasant and cooperative. 181 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:15,880 No, I don't mind telling you. 182 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:17,680 I got sick and tired of being called a thief. 183 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:18,680 That's why I quit Anthony's. 184 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:20,760 A little of that goes a long way. 185 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,680 You started work here at Raymond's yesterday, Miss Kirkman, is that right? 186 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:24,680 Yes, that's right. 187 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:26,960 I think I'm going to like it a lot better than Anthony's. 188 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:27,960 Mm-hmm. 189 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:30,760 I was looking here at Anthony's, ma'am, I suppose you'd heard that quite a bit of shoplifting 190 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:31,760 was going on. 191 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:32,760 Yes, I knew about it. 192 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:34,760 I guess every girl in the store knew it. 193 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:37,000 They had a big personnel meeting about it. 194 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,680 You have any suspicions of your own, Miss Kirkman? 195 00:08:38,680 --> 00:08:39,680 How do you mean that? 196 00:08:39,680 --> 00:08:42,440 Well, I mean, was there anyone in particular that you might have been a little suspicious 197 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:44,240 of, maybe one of the customers? 198 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:45,240 No. 199 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,720 I've waited on some real weird ones, but I didn't see any of them ever try to walk out 200 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:49,720 with anything. 201 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,520 All I knew was what Mr. Elliott told us at that meeting. 202 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:56,160 Well, this might be an embarrassing question for you, Miss, and we'd appreciate an honest 203 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:57,160 answer. 204 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:58,160 Yes. 205 00:08:58,160 --> 00:08:59,160 What about the sales girls you worked with? 206 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:01,720 Did any of them ever give you cause to be suspicious? 207 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:05,520 You mean, do I think any of them were doing the stealing? 208 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:06,520 No. 209 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:07,840 There were some of them I didn't like. 210 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:11,280 I didn't trust them either, but I wouldn't accuse them of stealing. 211 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:13,400 I wouldn't accuse anybody unless I had proof. 212 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,120 That's more than I can say for some people I know. 213 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,640 Well, by any chance, did you happen to be in Anthony's this past Monday? 214 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:19,640 Monday? 215 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:20,640 No, why do you ask? 216 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:24,440 When you were working on the fifth floor off the street at Anthony's, we understand 217 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,440 that when the merchandise first started disappearing, a pretty good percentage of it was out of 218 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:29,440 your section. 219 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:31,080 That's what they told me, yes. 220 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,760 And then when you were transferred downstairs to the cosmetics counter, quite a few things 221 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:36,040 started disappearing from there. 222 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:37,960 Now, we'd like an honest answer, Miss Kirkman. 223 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,480 Do you have any explanation at all for this? 224 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,320 I'll tell you the same thing I told them at the store, Sergeant. 225 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:46,800 I can't explain it, but I didn't have anything to do with it, believe me. 226 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:50,960 Well, you'll have to admit, Miss, it's pretty much of a coincidence, isn't it? 227 00:09:50,960 --> 00:09:52,840 Sergeant, you can call it anything you want to. 228 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:54,800 I didn't have anything to do with it. 229 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:58,680 The only thing I ever took home from that store was my paycheck. 230 00:09:58,680 --> 00:09:59,680 Would you excuse me, please? 231 00:09:59,680 --> 00:10:00,680 Customer, I have to wait over. 232 00:10:00,680 --> 00:10:01,680 Yes, ma'am, we're right ahead. 233 00:10:01,680 --> 00:10:02,680 Huh? 234 00:10:02,680 --> 00:10:03,680 What do you think? 235 00:10:03,680 --> 00:10:04,680 I don't know. 236 00:10:04,680 --> 00:10:06,720 She's a nice enough girl. 237 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:10,720 She seems to be telling the truth. 238 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:12,720 Could be a coincidence, the way it worked out. 239 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,720 Nothing to prove otherwise. 240 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,440 4.38 p.m. 241 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:22,040 We finished questioning the suspect, Dorothy Kirkman, and Ben and I went back to the office 242 00:10:22,040 --> 00:10:25,320 and made arrangements to have the girl kept under temporary surveillance. 243 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:29,560 A bulletin had been gotten out on the missing fur stole, the pawn shop detail had been notified, 244 00:10:29,560 --> 00:10:33,200 and a description of the fur had been placed on the stolen property list. 245 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,880 The following day, along with Sergeants Dick Rubles and Jim Tabor, we continued our investigation 246 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:39,400 of the latest shoplifting complaints. 247 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,920 It went slow, a lot of legwork, and no progress. 248 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,200 Like the dozens of other items of merchandise which had vanished in the last eight weeks, 249 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:49,280 there wasn't a trace of the missing fur stole. 250 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,920 Four men were added to the special detail on duty in the ten block area where the stealing 251 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:54,440 was going on. 252 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,480 Anybody in the city who'd ever served time for shoplifting was checked and rechecked. 253 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:01,760 Constant surveillance was maintained over a half a dozen known thieves who we figured 254 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:02,760 might be involved. 255 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:04,640 It got us nothing. 256 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:07,360 Wednesday, August 23rd, 5.30 p.m. 257 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:09,080 No leads, no progress. 258 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:10,080 We went back to the office. 259 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:14,040 Sure hope I get home before six o'clock tonight. 260 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,560 I want to see that shoe repairman out in our neighborhood. 261 00:11:16,560 --> 00:11:17,560 Well, what's the matter? 262 00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:18,560 You need some half souls? 263 00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:19,560 I don't know. 264 00:11:19,560 --> 00:11:22,200 I went in his shop the other day and he conned me into a new set of arch supports. 265 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:24,280 As a matter of fact, he didn't even call them arch supports. 266 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:25,280 What'd he say they were? 267 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:26,280 Metatarsal supports. 268 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:27,280 You know supports from metatarsals? 269 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:28,280 Yeah. 270 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,160 That's one of the bones in the foot. 271 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:34,320 He sold me a pair of these things and told me I should wear only one of them in my right 272 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:35,320 shoe. 273 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:36,320 Now what's the matter with that? 274 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:37,320 Isn't it working out? 275 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:38,320 Measurable. 276 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:42,480 I feel like I've been walking around with one foot in a bucket. 277 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:47,120 Now check the book. 278 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:48,120 Okay. 279 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:49,120 Anything? 280 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:50,120 Yeah, sure is from Robles. 281 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:51,120 What do you got? 282 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:52,120 That mink fur. 283 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:53,120 It's been found. 284 00:11:53,120 --> 00:12:04,400 Two hours before at approximately 3.30 p.m. in the main depot of the Santa Fe bus lines, 285 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:09,600 a 38 year old housewife, Mrs. Harriet Briggs, noticed an unclaimed parcel lying on one 286 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:11,920 of the benches in the depot waiting room. 287 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:15,680 When it became apparent to Mrs. Briggs that the parcel was either lost or forgotten, she 288 00:12:15,680 --> 00:12:19,580 picked it up and took it to the clerk in charge of lost and found articles. 289 00:12:19,580 --> 00:12:23,560 In checking the package for some kind of identification, they discovered the silver blue mink stole 290 00:12:23,560 --> 00:12:24,560 inside. 291 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:27,760 The car was dispatched to pick up the fur and it was identified as the garment taken 292 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:29,880 from Anthony's fur salon. 293 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,800 Mrs. Briggs volunteered to come along to the office to give what information she could. 294 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:38,000 A stakeout was placed at the bus depot in case anybody called for the package. 295 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,720 Five fifty p.m. we interviewed Mrs. Briggs in the squad room. 296 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:42,720 That's right, officer. 297 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,440 It was just a little before 3.30. 298 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:48,920 I was in the bus depot there waiting for my husband. 299 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:52,840 That's when I first noticed this package lying on the bench just across from me. 300 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:53,840 May I see? 301 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:55,320 Would you go on please, Mrs. Briggs? 302 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:57,560 I didn't think anything of it at first. 303 00:12:57,560 --> 00:13:01,360 I went on reading the afternoon paper but no one came for the package. 304 00:13:01,360 --> 00:13:03,400 It was just lying there. 305 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:04,400 Was there a long time. 306 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,280 How long would you say, ma'am, I mean before you picked it up and took it to the lost and 307 00:13:07,280 --> 00:13:08,280 found clerk? 308 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:13,360 Oh, I'd say twenty minutes, half an hour. 309 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:14,360 That much at least. 310 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:18,880 I left it with a young man at the counter there and I told him I'd be back to see if 311 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:20,360 anyone claimed it. 312 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:27,480 Well, when I did get back, that's after I had dinner with my husband, Carl, we found 313 00:13:27,480 --> 00:13:28,960 out what was in the package. 314 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,880 It's certainly strange, don't you think, officer? 315 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:32,880 Yes, ma'am. 316 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,400 Did you happen to notice at all who it was that left the package there? 317 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:41,560 Well, I'm not really sure, officer, but I think I know who it was. 318 00:13:41,560 --> 00:13:43,900 A tall woman. 319 00:13:43,900 --> 00:13:48,280 She had a brown jacket, if I remember rightly. 320 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:51,120 I think you'd say she was in her early thirties. 321 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:53,160 Have you ever seen this woman before, Miss Briggs? 322 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:55,160 No, I never did. 323 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:58,360 Very attractive, as I recall. 324 00:13:58,360 --> 00:13:59,360 She wore glasses. 325 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,360 Anything else about her you might have noticed? 326 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:02,360 Let me think. 327 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:04,360 She had blonde hair. 328 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:05,360 I remember that much. 329 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:09,960 And the reason I do remember it is because she wore it like I used to when I was a girl, 330 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:14,440 you know, through the back and the bun like this. 331 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,240 And you're pretty sure that this woman you described is the one who left the package 332 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:18,240 there? 333 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:24,800 If I remember rightly, she's the only one that sat across from me. 334 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:26,720 I guess it must be her. 335 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,480 If it wasn't her, I don't know who else it could have been. 336 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:31,000 All right, Miss Briggs, thank you very much. 337 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:32,000 We appreciate it. 338 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:33,840 That beautiful fur. 339 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:36,480 I know that woman must be just sick about losing it. 340 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:38,440 I certainly hope you find her, officer. 341 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:39,440 Yes, ma'am. 342 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:46,080 We had the stats office make a run for us and all females with shoplifting records who 343 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,920 fitted the description of the woman who'd left the mink stole in the waiting room at 344 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:49,920 the bus depot. 345 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:53,560 The following morning we checked with the men on stake out of the depot. 346 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:57,200 They told us nobody had come back to report losing such a parcel. 347 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,760 Together with Rubles and Tabor, we spent most of the day checking out the names on the list 348 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:05,000 of known shoplifters which the stats office had made up for us, names of possible suspects 349 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:08,460 who physically resembled a tall blonde woman seen at the depot. 350 00:15:08,460 --> 00:15:09,460 We got nowhere. 351 00:15:09,460 --> 00:15:13,680 Either they had ironclad alibis or they had since moved out of the city. 352 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:18,360 We ran down every possible angle on the freak recovery of the missing fur stole. 353 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:22,080 During the next 10 days, the case got more involved than it already was. 354 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:26,320 Some of the stolen articles of new merchandise began showing up but not through any of the 355 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,120 channels we expected. 356 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,320 Some of the items were found dumped in sidewalk refuse cans. 357 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:35,220 Some were found in hotel lobbies, in the post office, in theaters. 358 00:15:35,220 --> 00:15:37,360 Some were found tossed in vacant lots. 359 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:40,400 The only logical answer we could figure was that it was the work of somebody who was stealing 360 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:43,800 for just the love of stealing, a kleptomaniac. 361 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:48,040 Tuesday, September 4th, a 15-year-old girl in one of the exclusive residential neighborhoods 362 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:52,960 reported finding two parcels containing women's clothing and expensive costume jewelry. 363 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,800 They still had the price tags on them and they totaled $360. 364 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:00,160 Ben and I drove out to talk to the girl, a Patricia Denvers. 365 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:01,920 Where'd you happen to find these things, Patrice? 366 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:03,960 In the f***ing lot right down the block there. 367 00:16:03,960 --> 00:16:05,680 I was on my way home from the show. 368 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:08,720 I took the things home and showed my mother she called the police. 369 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:12,200 If nobody claims this package with the costume jewelry, can I keep it? 370 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:13,200 It's certainly beautiful. 371 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:14,200 No, I'm afraid not, Miss. 372 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:15,360 We know who the things belong to. 373 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:16,560 We're gonna have to return them. 374 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:18,680 Oh, I certainly don't understand that. 375 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:19,680 Well, how do you mean? 376 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,040 Well, as far as I could see, she threw the things away. 377 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:23,040 I thought she didn't want them. 378 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,040 What do you mean, who didn't want them? 379 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:27,160 Well, the lady who threw them in the empty lot. 380 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:29,720 You saw who it was that threw the packages in that lot, did you? 381 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,760 Yes, I was on my way home from the show, just like I told you. 382 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:34,720 I could see this lady walking up ahead of me. 383 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:36,920 She was about a block away, I guess. 384 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:40,200 When she went by the lot, I saw her take these packages from underarm and toss them in the 385 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:41,720 grass. 386 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:43,640 She wouldn't do that if she wanted them, would she? 387 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:44,960 Did you get a good look at this woman? 388 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:46,560 You have any idea what she looks like? 389 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:47,560 She's a good looking woman. 390 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:48,560 Tall. 391 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:49,560 She has beautiful, blonde hair. 392 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:50,560 Her husband's a doctor. 393 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:51,560 And you know who she is? 394 00:16:51,560 --> 00:16:52,560 You've seen her before? 395 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:54,680 Well, I don't know her to talk to. 396 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:56,080 I just see her around the neighborhood. 397 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:57,080 Does she live around here? 398 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:58,080 Do you know that? 399 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:10,560 Yeah, right next door to my girlfriend. 400 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:16,320 You are listening to Dragnet, authentic stories of your police force in action. 401 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:21,240 If you smoke king-sized cigarettes, listen to Fatima's amazing new offer. 402 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,280 Buy a pack of Fatimas. 403 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,720 Enjoy their extra mildness and superbly blended tobaccos. 404 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:31,640 If you don't like Fatimas better than the king-sized cigarette you are now smoking, 405 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:36,680 return the pack with the unused Fatimas and we'll give you your money back plus postage. 406 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:43,120 We make this amazing offer because we believe Fatima is the best of all king-sized cigarettes. 407 00:17:43,120 --> 00:17:46,080 Smokers all over the country are confirming this every day. 408 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:50,480 Here is the latest state-by-state report. 409 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:54,120 State one, Fatima sales up 69 percent. 410 00:17:54,120 --> 00:17:57,200 Two, sales up 118 percent. 411 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,120 Three, sales up 92 percent. 412 00:18:00,120 --> 00:18:04,320 Four, sales up 142 percent. 413 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:05,800 And those are just a few. 414 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:11,080 Remember, if you're not convinced Fatima is better than your present king-sized cigarette, 415 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:15,780 just return the pack with the unsmoked Fatimas before December 1st and get your money back 416 00:18:15,780 --> 00:18:16,960 plus postage. 417 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:20,680 Fatima, Fox 37, New York 1. 418 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:22,360 Buy Fatima. 419 00:18:22,360 --> 00:18:26,360 Best of all, king-sized cigarettes. 420 00:18:26,360 --> 00:18:35,440 Tuesday, September 4th, 515 p.m. 421 00:18:35,440 --> 00:18:39,720 With the help of the 15-year-old girl, Patricia Denvers, we got the name and address of the 422 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:43,600 woman who had been seen tossing the parcels of stolen merchandise into a vacant lot in 423 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:45,480 the west end of the city. 424 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:49,800 The woman was identified as Mrs. Virginia Sterling, the wife of a Dr. Bruce Sterling, 425 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:53,720 a fairly prominent young surgeon with offices in Beverly Hills. 426 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:55,920 Mrs. Sterling and her husband had no children. 427 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:59,200 They leased a richly furnished apartment in a residential section of the city that was 428 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,000 considered better than the upper middle class. 429 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:05,240 We checked Virginia Sterling through R&I, but she had no previous criminal record that 430 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:06,680 we knew of. 431 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:09,880 Together with Sergeants Rubles and Taber, we covered the various stores along Wilshire 432 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:13,680 Boulevard that had been victimized in the recent shoplifting campaign. 433 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:18,160 We found that Mrs. Sterling had charge accounts at almost every one of the stores. 434 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,600 Simply speaking, we found her accounts in very good standing, and among the store people, 435 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:25,560 she was regarded as what is referred to as a fine customer, a good spender, and a good 436 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:26,920 credit risk. 437 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:31,120 Right down to the retail credit association, there was nothing but favorable reports on 438 00:19:31,120 --> 00:19:32,120 the woman. 439 00:19:32,120 --> 00:19:33,120 Seven fifteen p.m. 440 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:36,440 Ben and I had a hamburger and some chili and a cup of coffee for dinner, and then we drove 441 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,120 out to the apartment of Dr. Sterling and his wife. 442 00:19:39,120 --> 00:19:41,400 Mrs. Sterling answered the door and invited us in. 443 00:19:41,400 --> 00:19:42,400 We identified ourselves. 444 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:44,960 She told us the doctor was out on a call. 445 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:48,680 She showed us into the living room, modern furniture, indirect lighting, expensive rugs. 446 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:49,680 Won't you sit down, gentlemen? 447 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:50,680 Thank you very much. 448 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:51,680 Did I get you a drink? 449 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:53,480 I was just having my coffee and brandy. 450 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:54,480 No, thank you, Miss Sterling. 451 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:56,040 I really don't know when the doctor will be back. 452 00:19:56,040 --> 00:19:57,040 He was called over to the hospital. 453 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:58,520 Is there anything I can help you with? 454 00:19:58,520 --> 00:20:02,280 Well, as a matter of fact, Mrs. Sterling, we came out to talk to you, not your husband. 455 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:03,280 Oh, really? 456 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:05,800 What is it you wanted to talk to me about, Sergeant Romero? 457 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:09,720 Well, ma'am, we understand that you do quite a bit of your shopping along Wilshire Boulevard. 458 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:10,720 Is that right? 459 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:11,720 Well, yes. 460 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:12,720 I shop downtown quite often. 461 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:16,000 Except for the problem of parking, I find it a lot more convenient. 462 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:17,000 Why do you ask? 463 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,760 Mrs. Sterling, do you do much of your shopping at Anthony's? 464 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:21,320 I believe that's out in the Wilshire district. 465 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:22,320 Yes, I do. 466 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:23,320 For my sports clothes especially. 467 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:25,360 They have a very good selection. 468 00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:28,400 Would you remember if you were in Anthony's on the 22nd of last month? 469 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:30,880 I believe that was a Tuesday. 470 00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:31,880 On a Tuesday. 471 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:35,120 No, I don't think I could remember one way or the other. 472 00:20:35,120 --> 00:20:37,240 I really don't have any special day for shopping. 473 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:39,760 I just go when I feel like it or when I need something. 474 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:41,840 Have you ever been in the first and not in Anson's, ma'am? 475 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:43,600 Have you ever made any purchases there? 476 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:47,840 I suppose I've been in almost every department at Anthony's at one time or another. 477 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,000 I can tell you though, I've never bought any frizz there. 478 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:54,760 As I told you, the main reason I go there at all is because of their sportswear. 479 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:56,680 Could you tell me what this is about, please? 480 00:20:56,680 --> 00:20:57,680 Routine investigation, ma'am. 481 00:20:57,680 --> 00:20:59,880 I wonder if you could tell us this. 482 00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:03,480 Do you have any occasion to travel in the area of the Santa Fe bus depot? 483 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:04,480 By bus? 484 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:05,480 No. 485 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:09,560 I don't think I've been on a bus since, well, since I've been married. 486 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:11,760 And that'll be six years this coming December. 487 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:14,480 You've never been in the Santa Fe bus depot downtown, then? 488 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:15,480 No. 489 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:16,480 I think I know where it is. 490 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:17,480 I've driven past it. 491 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:19,600 I've never been inside though. 492 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:20,600 Why should you want to know that? 493 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:23,360 Well, Miss Sterling, we're going to be honest with you. 494 00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:25,280 This has to do with an investigation we're on. 495 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:28,760 Now, we've had a couple of reports that you were seen at the Santa Fe bus depot on August 496 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:29,760 23rd. 497 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:30,760 That was on a Wednesday. 498 00:21:30,760 --> 00:21:32,560 Reports came from pretty reliable people. 499 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:36,400 Well, I certainly consider myself reliable and I say I've never been there. 500 00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:40,000 Now, if you don't mind, I'd like some kind of explanation for this questioning. 501 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:43,240 You mean you have no idea why we drove out here to talk to you? 502 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:44,240 Of course not. 503 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:46,240 Number one, I don't understand your questions at all. 504 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:49,160 Number two, I'd like to know what they have to do with me. 505 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:51,040 What has this to do with you, ma'am? 506 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:55,400 Last August 23rd, a woman in a brown sports jacket answering your description left a package 507 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:57,240 in the Santa Fe bus depot. 508 00:21:57,240 --> 00:22:00,540 This package contained a mink stole taken from Anthony's. 509 00:22:00,540 --> 00:22:03,520 The woman who left the package in the depot fits your description perfectly. 510 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:04,520 That's all? 511 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:05,520 It's a coincidence. 512 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:07,120 Yes, ma'am, maybe. 513 00:22:07,120 --> 00:22:10,480 I suppose you've read in the papers about the big increase in shoplifting. 514 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,960 Most of it's taking place right in the area where you say you do most of your buying. 515 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:17,160 We've checked out every single one of the cases, Mrs. Sterling. 516 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:18,560 It took us a long time. 517 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:21,220 We found a dozen salespeople in those stores. 518 00:22:21,220 --> 00:22:24,760 Every one of them tells us that you were around a particular store when the shoplifting took 519 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:25,760 place. 520 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:27,440 Law of averages, Mrs. Sterling. 521 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:29,240 You show up too often in the reports. 522 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:31,040 Would you please leave my house? 523 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:32,600 Both of you, please. 524 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:36,120 I'm sorry, Mrs. Sterling, but you'll have to come along with us. 525 00:22:36,120 --> 00:22:37,840 What do you mean by that? 526 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:41,600 Don't you know you can get in trouble making false accusations? 527 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:43,520 I'm going to call my husband right now. 528 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:51,520 Yes, ma'am, if you like, go right ahead. 529 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:54,520 Sergeant. 530 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:58,520 Yes, ma'am. 531 00:22:58,520 --> 00:23:02,520 What is it? 532 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:07,840 What do you want to know? 533 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:08,840 You can tell me. 534 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:09,840 I think you know already. 535 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:11,840 What do you want? 536 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:12,840 Tell me, please. 537 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:14,400 We've got your story, ma'am. 538 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:18,200 Right up to this afternoon, you went shopping today, you stole things as usual. 539 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:21,080 When you tried to get rid of them, you were seen right in this neighborhood. 540 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:24,560 The vacant lot down in the next corner, you threw them away there. 541 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:25,560 Somebody saw you. 542 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:27,000 They didn't know it was me. 543 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:30,000 Yes, ma'am, they knew it was you. 544 00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:31,000 Yes. 545 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:33,760 How can I make them understand? 546 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:34,760 You know? 547 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:35,760 No, ma'am. 548 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:36,760 Horrible. 549 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:37,760 Shame. 550 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,760 I couldn't tell my husband. 551 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:43,760 I couldn't tell Bruce. 552 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:45,480 I couldn't. 553 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:47,400 Oh, never mind. 554 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:52,400 We'll tell him for you. 555 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:55,480 9.35 p.m. 556 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:58,940 We got in the car and drove Mrs. Sterling downtown to the city hall. 557 00:23:58,940 --> 00:24:02,280 We took her to the interrogation room, called a police stenographer, and we began to take 558 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:04,040 her complete statement. 559 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:07,360 One of the first things she did was to admit full responsibility for the series of shop 560 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:10,360 liptings which had been going on for over two months. 561 00:24:10,360 --> 00:24:14,080 She told us that her kleptomania, the urge to steal things, had started with her as far 562 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:16,400 back as her junior high school years. 563 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:20,200 She admitted as a girl she stole books, tablets, pencils, pieces of chalk. 564 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:23,480 And as she grew older, it seemed to get more serious with her. 565 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,320 It carried over into her college years. 566 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,600 And that's when her stealing first got her into trouble. 567 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:29,200 It was when I joined this sorority. 568 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:30,760 It was just like high school. 569 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:31,760 I was all alone. 570 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:34,240 We had a lot of clever girls in our house. 571 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:35,240 Some of them were smart. 572 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:36,240 Some of them were pretty. 573 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:39,280 All of them seemed to be doing something except me. 574 00:24:39,280 --> 00:24:41,200 I had to prove it to them. 575 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,440 I guess I had to prove it to myself. 576 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:44,440 I was smart too. 577 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:48,000 Oh, see, you figured that taking things was the best way to prove that. 578 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:49,240 Yes, I suppose so. 579 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:51,640 Of course, it wasn't easy, you know. 580 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:53,680 The awful part was I got caught one day. 581 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:56,040 It was kind of a relief in a way. 582 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:58,960 I mean, how could they know I was just as smart as they were? 583 00:24:58,960 --> 00:25:01,140 They didn't find out what I was doing. 584 00:25:01,140 --> 00:25:03,440 Did you stay on at college after that, Miss Sterling? 585 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:05,440 Oh, no, I couldn't after that. 586 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:06,440 They voted me out of the sorority. 587 00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:09,400 There wasn't anything to do but leave, so I left. 588 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:10,600 What happened after that? 589 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:12,720 I went to New York and stayed with an aunt I have there. 590 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:13,720 I got a job. 591 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:14,720 I had several jobs. 592 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:17,160 The same thing came up again. 593 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:19,800 I lost two of the jobs. 594 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:20,800 Same thing over again. 595 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:22,200 I just couldn't help it. 596 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:31,000 It always means so much to me, taking things, not being caught, getting away, getting away. 597 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:35,840 Things I took, they never meant anything to me, nothing. 598 00:25:35,840 --> 00:25:38,480 Just taking them, not having anyone knowing. 599 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:40,280 That's all that was important. 600 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:43,840 It made up for that feeling, being all alone. 601 00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:47,760 Yes, ma'am, and this thing went on, I mean, even after you were married? 602 00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:49,840 No, not at first. 603 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:52,400 I guess maybe a year or two. 604 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:54,240 We were very happy, Bruce and I. 605 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:58,400 And then he got busy, came out here and began to build his practice. 606 00:25:58,400 --> 00:26:00,960 I didn't see as much of him. 607 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:01,960 We both wanted children. 608 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:03,680 We wanted them very much. 609 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:06,360 There weren't any. 610 00:26:06,360 --> 00:26:08,800 Bruce began to spend more time away from home. 611 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:12,360 Just like before, same thing. 612 00:26:12,360 --> 00:26:14,920 I wasn't important. 613 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,760 I was all alone again. 614 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:19,800 Wasn't anybody. 615 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:21,400 You know what I mean, don't you, Sergeant? 616 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:22,400 Yes, ma'am. 617 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,280 There ought to be an answer someplace. 618 00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:30,160 There isn't anything worse than being alone, is there? 619 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:33,400 I get it. 620 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:34,400 Interrogation room, Friday. 621 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:35,400 Yeah, Dick. 622 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:36,400 Mm-hmm. 623 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:38,920 He is on his way now? 624 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:39,920 Yeah, right. 625 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:41,920 Yeah, thank you. 626 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:44,320 Dr. Sterling just called. 627 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:45,320 Said he was on his way in. 628 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:46,320 He ought to be here in a couple of minutes. 629 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:48,320 I don't want to see Bruce. 630 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:49,320 He's so good. 631 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:50,320 I wouldn't know how to tell him. 632 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:51,320 Don't worry, ma'am. 633 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:52,320 He'll be all right. 634 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:53,320 No. 635 00:26:53,320 --> 00:26:54,320 I'm alone. 636 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:55,320 He's alone. 637 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:56,320 It'll never be all right anymore. 638 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:59,320 Well, he's on his way in now and he wants to see you. 639 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:00,320 What can I tell him? 640 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:01,320 What's it going to be like? 641 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:02,320 What's going to happen after this? 642 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:03,320 I don't know, ma'am, but you won't be alone anymore. 643 00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:19,200 The 644 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,920 story you have just heard was true. 645 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:24,640 The names were changed to protect the innocent. 646 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:28,800 On December 9th, trial was held in Superior Court, Department 88, City and County of Los 647 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:30,480 Angeles, State of California. 648 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:32,640 In a moment, the results of that trial. 649 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,560 And now here's our star, Jack Webb. 650 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:35,560 Thank you. 651 00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:39,240 Friends, a few minutes ago, we told you exactly why smokers all over the country are switching 652 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:41,360 to king-size Fatimas. 653 00:27:41,360 --> 00:27:46,200 It's because Fatimas are extra mild, because they have a much better flavor and aroma. 654 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:50,240 Now, if you haven't tried Fatimas yet, here's where you come in. 655 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:54,680 We feel so sure that you'll enjoy Fatima quality that we make this offer. 656 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:56,460 Buy a pack of Fatimas. 657 00:27:56,460 --> 00:28:00,600 If you don't like Fatimas better than the king-size cigarettes you've been smoking, 658 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:05,120 just return the pack and the unsmoked cigarettes and we'll send you your money back, plus postage. 659 00:28:05,120 --> 00:28:10,980 You see, we're convinced that Fatima is the best of all king-size cigarettes. 660 00:28:10,980 --> 00:28:12,920 Buy a pack of Fatimas today. 661 00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:23,360 I know you'll agree. 662 00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:27,880 Mrs. Virginia Sterling was tried and convicted on several counts of grand theft and received 663 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:32,080 a sentence as prescribed by law, the terms to run concurrently. 664 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:46,080 Grand theft is punishable by imprisonment for not less than one or more than ten years. 665 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:51,000 You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. 666 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:55,240 Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police, W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police 667 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:56,240 Department. 668 00:28:56,240 --> 00:29:02,800 Fatima cigarettes, best of all king-size cigarettes, has brought you Dragnet, transcribed from 669 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:18,720 Los Angeles. 670 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:26,800 Stay tuned for Counterspy, next on NBC.