1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,920 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. 2 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:14,920 The names have been changed to protect the innocent. 3 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:19,860 Dragnet is brought to you by Chesterfield, made by Liggett and Myers. 4 00:00:19,860 --> 00:00:25,840 First major tobacco company to give you a complete line of quality cigarettes. 5 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:35,240 You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to burglary detail. 6 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:39,160 In the past two months, a thief has broken into 18 markets. 7 00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:42,960 There's no lead to his whereabouts, no clue to his identity. 8 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,160 Your job, get him. 9 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:54,480 Friends, stage and screen star Paul Douglas is featured on the Chesterfield poster of the 10 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,760 month that's up all over town. 11 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:59,040 Here's what Paul Douglas says about Chesterfield. 12 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:03,760 Quote, I've been smoking Chesterfield for 22 years. 13 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:05,540 They're best for me. 14 00:01:05,540 --> 00:01:08,280 If you try them, you'll find they're best for you. 15 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:09,600 Unquote. 16 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:12,720 You know why Chesterfield's are best for you? 17 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:16,760 Because they're low in nicotine, highest in quality. 18 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:21,880 And of course, Chesterfield's are really mild, really satisfying. 19 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,060 Try them yourself today. 20 00:01:24,060 --> 00:01:28,920 Look America's most popular two-way cigarette, Chesterfield. 21 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:31,240 Regular and king size. 22 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:35,240 Best for you. 23 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:44,080 Dragnet, the documentary drama of an actual crime. 24 00:01:44,080 --> 00:01:48,160 For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will 25 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:52,760 travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official 26 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:54,680 police files. 27 00:01:54,680 --> 00:02:00,240 From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force 28 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,240 in action. 29 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:08,520 It was Monday, December 14th. 30 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:09,960 It was cold in Los Angeles. 31 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:11,640 We were working the day watch out of burglary detail. 32 00:02:11,640 --> 00:02:12,640 My partner's Frank Smith. 33 00:02:12,640 --> 00:02:13,640 The boss is Captain Bernard. 34 00:02:13,640 --> 00:02:14,640 My name's Friday. 35 00:02:14,640 --> 00:02:18,320 We're on our way out of the office and it was 8.05 a.m. when we got to Georgia Street 36 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:19,800 Juvenile Bureau. 37 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:21,800 Sergeant Lindsay Simmons' office. 38 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:22,800 Yeah? 39 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,440 Well did you give it to him? 40 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:26,440 Uh huh. 41 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:27,440 Yeah. 42 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,440 What'd he say? 43 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:32,440 Yeah. 44 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:33,440 When did he come back? 45 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:34,440 Uh huh. 46 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:37,440 Well did he have it for you? 47 00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:38,440 Yeah. 48 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:42,680 Well that'll teach you not to go that route anymore. 49 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,280 All right Patrick, tell the sergeant to call me when he gets back. 50 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:46,280 Right. 51 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:47,280 Hi Friday Smith. 52 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:48,280 Hi Lindsay. 53 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:49,280 Morning, Sergeant. 54 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:50,920 Just talking to Gene Patrick over at Holland Park. 55 00:02:50,920 --> 00:02:51,920 Gene home? 56 00:02:51,920 --> 00:02:52,920 Yeah, I met him a couple times. 57 00:02:52,920 --> 00:02:54,760 Picked up a youngster a couple of days ago in suspicion of burglary. 58 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:56,720 Brought him into the office and Patrick talked to him. 59 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:57,720 Yeah. 60 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,720 Well he finally bought it that the kid didn't have anything to do with the thefts. 61 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:00,720 He told him to go home. 62 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:01,720 Uh huh. 63 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:02,720 Kid told Gene he didn't have the money to get home. 64 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:04,400 Said Gene gave him 20 cents. 65 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:05,720 Kid swore he'd come in and pay it back. 66 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:06,720 Did he? 67 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:07,720 Yeah, he came in this morning. 68 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:08,720 Gave Patrick two dimes. 69 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,360 Told him thanks for believing the story. 70 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:11,360 Uh huh. 71 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:12,360 Then Patrick got the kicker. 72 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,360 The kid really did break into a house last night to get the money. 73 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:16,680 What's Patrick got to say about that? 74 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:18,480 Says the kid's honest in a sort of way. 75 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,080 Did pay him back. 76 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:22,080 Where's the youngster now? 77 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:23,080 Got him over at Holland Park juvenile. 78 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:24,080 I better call Gene. 79 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:25,080 Maybe I can give him a hand. 80 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:26,080 I got a couple of street car tokens he won't be using. 81 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:27,080 Might like to have them. 82 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:28,080 Oh hold it. 83 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,080 If I was you I don't think I'd bring it up to him for a couple of days. 84 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:31,640 Well what can I do for you two? 85 00:03:31,640 --> 00:03:33,600 Well Lindsay, we've been working on a string of burglaries. 86 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:34,600 You maybe got the word on them. 87 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:35,600 I don't think so. 88 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:36,600 What's the story? 89 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:37,600 Bunch of store burglaries. 90 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:38,600 Papers have tagged them. 91 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:39,600 The milk bottle jobs. 92 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:40,600 Oh yeah. 93 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:43,160 Seems Hartgrover's telling me something about them the other day. 94 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:44,160 Where do we come in? 95 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:49,160 Well the way the jobs look we've been thinking that maybe he belonged in your department 96 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:50,160 instead of ours. 97 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:51,160 How do you figure that? 98 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:52,160 First off the milk thing. 99 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:53,160 What do you mean? 100 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:54,160 Every job he's pulled we found an empty milk bottle on the counter. 101 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:55,160 Okay what's that prove? 102 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:56,160 Well milk and kids go together. 103 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,880 Sure, sort of milk and ulcers. 104 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,160 Maybe a thief's got the bull horrors when he gets into the store. 105 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:02,160 No Lindsay there's another thing. 106 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:03,400 The way he prowls the places. 107 00:04:03,400 --> 00:04:04,720 All he takes is petty cash. 108 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:05,920 Just a couple of bucks outside. 109 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:08,080 Candy, cigarettes, nothing big. 110 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,240 Some of the places he's gone into you could open the safe with a pocket knife. 111 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:11,960 He hasn't even made a move toward them. 112 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:12,960 Maybe he's a kleptomaniac. 113 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:14,320 Got a lot of them on the books. 114 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:15,320 Maybe that's the way he gets his kicks. 115 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:16,640 Oh it's a nice try Lindsay. 116 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,760 If you know anybody that can climb through a 14 by 10 inch hole you trot them up and 117 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:20,760 we'll talk to them. 118 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,800 Okay I haven't got the names on my desk but you take a trip to Santa Anita you'll meet 119 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:24,800 a lot of them. 120 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:25,800 Jockeys. 121 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:27,360 You guys know we'll go along with you on this thing. 122 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:30,180 Anything we can do but until we're sure that there's a juvenile involved there's nothing 123 00:04:30,180 --> 00:04:31,440 we can do. 124 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,000 Anything turns up we'll be sure to turn it over to you. 125 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,120 Now look we're not trying to pound this thing off on you Lindsay. 126 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:38,240 We've had the stats office make so many runs on small adults that the cards are wearing 127 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:39,240 out. 128 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:41,200 It just seems that none of the leads we've been chasing come out anywhere. 129 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:43,400 We figured that maybe you could come up with some answers for us. 130 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:45,800 Oh it's a new one on me Joe this milk bet. 131 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,720 I've heard of a couple of thieves that went for it but I can't name you a juvenile off 132 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:49,720 hand. 133 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:51,920 I'll pass the word around the day watch see what they can come up with. 134 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:54,200 I'll leave a note for Heartgrove he can pass it on the night watch. 135 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:55,680 Well I appreciate anything you can do. 136 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:56,680 No trouble. 137 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:57,680 Been running your ragged on this huh? 138 00:04:57,680 --> 00:04:58,680 It's pretty rough. 139 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:01,040 It's just that we can't seem to be able to come up with anything that adds. 140 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:02,040 Yeah. 141 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:03,040 Oh excuse me. 142 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:04,040 Yeah. 143 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:05,640 Georgia Street juvenile Sergeant Simmons. 144 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:06,640 Yeah. 145 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:08,000 Yeah they're here. 146 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:09,000 Which one? 147 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:11,000 Okay hang on. 148 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:12,440 For you Joe your office. 149 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,040 Thank you. 150 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:16,040 Friday time. 151 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:17,040 Yeah. 152 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:19,040 Well right away what's the address? 153 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:20,040 Uh huh. 154 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:21,040 Yeah. 155 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:22,040 No I got it. 156 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:23,040 We'll leave right away. 157 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:24,040 Who? 158 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:25,040 Yeah call him. 159 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:26,040 Thanks. 160 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:27,040 Well come on let's go. 161 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:33,160 The milk bottle kid he hit again. 162 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,480 The call had come from Lieutenant Ginder in burglary. 163 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,640 He told us that he'd just gotten a call from a storekeeper named Marty Darabirdis. 164 00:05:38,640 --> 00:05:41,680 The man had called to report a burglary at his store at the corner of Jackson and Broadway 165 00:05:41,680 --> 00:05:42,680 streets. 166 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,880 Lieutenant Ginder told us that the crime lab had been notified and had dispatched a crew 167 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,320 to investigate the premises for physical evidence. 168 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,960 Frank and I left Georgia Street juvenile and we drove over to Figueroa and then we turned 169 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:52,960 over onto Broadway. 170 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:56,920 The store that had been broken into was a small Italian delicatessen on the southeast 171 00:05:56,920 --> 00:05:57,920 corner. 172 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:00,880 By the time we got there the crime lab crew had already arrived and was winding up their 173 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:01,880 investigation. 174 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:04,760 We walked into the place and we met with Ray Pinker. 175 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:06,760 Hi Joe. 176 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:07,760 Frank. 177 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:08,760 Hi Ray. 178 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:09,760 How's it going? 179 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:10,760 Usual thing. 180 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:11,760 A bottle of milk on the counter. 181 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:12,760 You want to check it over? 182 00:06:12,760 --> 00:06:13,760 Yeah. 183 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:14,760 Come on back here. 184 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:18,360 The thief made his entrance back here at the rear of the store. 185 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:19,360 There it is. 186 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:20,640 Broke out the window pane. 187 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:21,640 Yeah. 188 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:22,640 Not very big huh? 189 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:24,360 Measures nine and a half or twelve and three quarters. 190 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:25,960 No alarm on the window huh? 191 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:27,520 Yeah you can see the wires here. 192 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:28,520 Take a look. 193 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:29,520 Oh yeah. 194 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:31,760 How come the alarm didn't go off? 195 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:32,760 I talked to the owner. 196 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,240 He said he's had trouble with the alarm system the last couple of weeks. 197 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:36,240 Called the company and asked them to fix it. 198 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:37,240 He thought it was okay. 199 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:38,240 I guess there's something wrong. 200 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:40,520 Some place didn't work last night. 201 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:41,960 What kind of alarm was it Ray? 202 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:42,960 Outside on the building. 203 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:43,960 You know the kind. 204 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:44,960 Yeah. 205 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:45,960 What'd he take this time Ray? 206 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:46,960 Usual round of stuff. 207 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,240 According to the owner there are about four cartons of cigarettes missing. 208 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:50,240 Several boxes of candy. 209 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:51,240 Can't be absolutely sure. 210 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,000 He said he's got a check he's stocked. 211 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:54,640 It'd be better if you talked to him on that. 212 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:55,640 Yeah we will. 213 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:56,640 We'll catch him later. 214 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:57,640 Want to wait a minute? 215 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:58,640 I'll check and see how the boys are doing on the prints. 216 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:00,640 Have them check the counter and the milk bottle. 217 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:01,640 Alright thanks Ray. 218 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:02,640 Be right back. 219 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:03,640 Ray. 220 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:04,640 I wonder when we're going to blow the whistle on this guy. 221 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:05,640 I don't know. 222 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:07,640 I can't do it fast enough for me. 223 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:09,640 Well then what do you? 224 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:10,640 Hey Joe. 225 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:11,640 Look at this. 226 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:14,640 You know I'd like to get a couple of those before we leave. 227 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:16,480 What are you talking about? 228 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:17,480 Salami Joe. 229 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:18,480 Those right there. 230 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:19,480 The hard Italian kind. 231 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:20,480 See right there? 232 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:21,480 I remember last summer I was up in San Francisco. 233 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:22,480 Yeah I remember. 234 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:23,980 Went up there to pick up a prisoner. 235 00:07:23,980 --> 00:07:24,980 Remember you were collecting days off? 236 00:07:24,980 --> 00:07:25,980 Yeah I recall. 237 00:07:25,980 --> 00:07:27,980 I had a hundred of them coming. 238 00:07:27,980 --> 00:07:29,720 Yeah pretty funny. 239 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,320 Anyway I met Dan Shelley up there. 240 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:32,840 You mean the Irish tenor? 241 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:34,720 Yeah he and I went down to Cookie's bar for lunch. 242 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:35,720 She had some of this salami. 243 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:36,720 Sliced it like paper. 244 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:37,720 You could almost read through it. 245 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:39,280 That's the way it's supposed to be. 246 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:40,600 I know Joe. 247 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:42,160 Anyway Cookie sliced up a bunch of it. 248 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:43,520 Served it with cold cracked crab. 249 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:45,720 Boy I never tasted anything so good in my life. 250 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:47,880 Don't you ever read the newspaper through sliced salami? 251 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:48,880 Yeah? 252 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:49,880 Well I never have. 253 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:50,880 Have you? 254 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:51,880 All the time. 255 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:52,880 Just the funnies. 256 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:54,840 Well anyway Faye's tried to find them for me. 257 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:55,840 Salami like this. 258 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,320 Brought home all kind of things but she's never found the right kind. 259 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:01,000 You know they'd be hard enough to pound tax with them. 260 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:02,000 She got them home. 261 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:05,160 Boy I never forget old Cookie and that spread. 262 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:09,160 Well if you can get your mind off food for a minute and I know that'll be tough. 263 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:10,160 Let's get on with this thing Joe. 264 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:12,920 Yeah sure gotta buy some of these before we leave. 265 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:14,800 Just like Cookie had. 266 00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:17,000 Just finished with the powder Joe. 267 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:18,000 Yeah. 268 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:19,000 Nothing. 269 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:21,440 Whoever was drank the milk he took the bottle out of the refrigeration compartment. 270 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:23,400 Bottle's sweated and there isn't a print on it we can lift. 271 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:24,400 That's too bad. 272 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:25,400 None of many places huh? 273 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,520 No we've gone over the place from top to bottom. 274 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:28,840 So there we can't find them. 275 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:30,320 That's not much help is it? 276 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,200 Came up with one thing maybe you can make something out of it. 277 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:34,200 What's that? 278 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,200 Outside the window in the back parking lot. 279 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:37,880 Came up with an open package of cigarettes. 280 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:38,880 Don't know if it belonged to the thief. 281 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:39,880 Anything on it? 282 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:42,960 No fog last night ruined any prints that were on it. 283 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:43,960 Boys have got it if you want it. 284 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,080 Well we'll take a look at it. 285 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:47,440 Looks like everything's against us huh? 286 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:48,440 Another blank. 287 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:50,160 Don't envy you guys trying to break this one. 288 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:53,360 Most of the time there's a leak someplace somewhere along the line the guy's gonna make 289 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:54,600 a mistake and not cover something. 290 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:56,640 Yeah we've been saying that for weeks. 291 00:08:56,640 --> 00:08:59,200 This is either the smartest thief I've ever seen or the luckiest. 292 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:00,920 What's this make for him? 293 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:01,920 Number 19. 294 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,400 A lot of chances to take for nothing. 295 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:06,100 He's not getting anything out of the jobs. 296 00:09:06,100 --> 00:09:07,680 Maybe he isn't but we are. 297 00:09:07,680 --> 00:09:08,680 What? 298 00:09:08,680 --> 00:09:09,680 Headaches. 299 00:09:09,680 --> 00:09:15,480 9.38 a.m. we talked to the victim. 300 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,520 He told us that as near as he could figure there was approximately four dollars stolen 301 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:19,520 from the store. 302 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,000 He went on to say that he'd ascertained that five cartons of cigarettes and several boxes 303 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:24,480 of candy bars were taken. 304 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:28,920 He was unable to tell us if any other merchandise was taken until he'd made a complete inventory. 305 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:32,040 He went on to tell us that there was over six hundred dollars in the safe but that as 306 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,480 far as he could tell there had been no attempt to break into it. 307 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:37,920 We made a canvas of the neighborhood and talked to the neighbors. 308 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:41,680 None of them recalled having seen any suspicious people in the neighborhood the night before. 309 00:09:41,680 --> 00:09:44,600 None of them had seen any suspicious automobiles in the area. 310 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:48,040 The one thing that was apparent was that the thief was working in a definite pattern. 311 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:50,900 He worked only on Friday and Saturday nights. 312 00:09:50,900 --> 00:09:53,520 Always between 8 p.m. and 12 midnight. 313 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:56,400 Frank and I met with Captain Bernard and it was decided that we would maintain a rolling 314 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,320 stakeout in the area in which the suspect operated. 315 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,240 Four other cars from Metro Reserves were assigned to work with us. 316 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:04,960 For the next five nights we worked without results. 317 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:06,560 It was slow and tedious. 318 00:10:06,560 --> 00:10:10,240 But considering the lack of information on the thief it was the only way we had left. 319 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,520 We had to be on or near the scene when the thief struck again. 320 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:18,000 Saturday night December 19th Frank and I met and drove out to the area. 321 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:19,920 The streets were crowded with early Christmas shoppers. 322 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:21,800 I'll sure be glad when it's over. 323 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:22,800 Why what's the matter? 324 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:25,200 How many rooms in your apartment Joe? 325 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:26,680 Three, you know that. 326 00:10:26,680 --> 00:10:27,680 You've been there. 327 00:10:27,680 --> 00:10:29,360 Yeah, there won't be enough room. 328 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:31,160 What are you talking about? 329 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:32,160 Fay. 330 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:33,720 What's Fay got to do with this? 331 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:35,160 Hack Joe, real hack. 332 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:36,560 Why what's the matter? 333 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:38,360 I got up this morning, I felt great. 334 00:10:38,360 --> 00:10:43,080 Fay's got breakfast on the table, all nice, a couple eggs, little pig sausages, nice 335 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:44,080 you know. 336 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:45,080 Yeah. 337 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:49,000 I come down to the table, she's got the food on and I hit her with it. 338 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:50,000 What the food? 339 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,040 No Joe, I hit her with what I'm about to tell her. 340 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:54,720 I tell her I'm gonna have to work tonight. 341 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:56,680 You worked every night this week, what's wrong with that? 342 00:10:56,680 --> 00:10:59,560 Well that's the way I figure it, so I got a way out. 343 00:10:59,560 --> 00:11:00,920 Yeah, well. 344 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:01,920 Today is Fay's birthday. 345 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:03,600 Well you didn't tell me. 346 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:05,440 It's not good to tell people Joe. 347 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:06,880 Oh it isn't. 348 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:10,000 No, Fay's over 30. 349 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,880 Yeah, I kind of figured that. 350 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:15,800 Don't you get it? 351 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:19,080 I'm sorry pal, you left me a couple of blocks back on this one. 352 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:20,080 Look Fay... 353 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:21,080 I may never catch up. 354 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:22,080 Fay's over 30 Joe. 355 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:25,360 She's getting to the point where she's taking off years, see? 356 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,400 How can you give a person a last birthday present? 357 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:29,400 Yeah. 358 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,760 I tell you about it, you're gonna give her a present. 359 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,200 Only now instead of 30, she's 29. 360 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:36,200 You understand? 361 00:11:36,200 --> 00:11:38,760 Well to be perfectly honest with you, no. 362 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,800 But as long as you do, it's perfectly all right with me. 363 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:42,800 Yeah. 364 00:11:42,800 --> 00:11:43,800 What about this morning? 365 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:48,120 Well, I told her I was gonna have to go to work, I got this present for her. 366 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:49,600 Brand new deep fat fryer. 367 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:50,600 Real good. 368 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:51,600 What? 369 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:53,640 Deep fat fryer, all wrapped up with ribbon. 370 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:55,960 Beautiful, shiny, beautiful. 371 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:57,680 So you gave it to her, did it do any good? 372 00:11:57,680 --> 00:11:58,680 Not a pound. 373 00:11:58,680 --> 00:11:59,960 You know what she does with it? 374 00:11:59,960 --> 00:12:02,640 Well at this point, I wouldn't even want to guess. 375 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:06,040 I'm serious Joe, this may mean the end of my home. 376 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:07,040 Go ahead. 377 00:12:07,040 --> 00:12:11,040 She doesn't even open it, just puts it in the closet on the back porch. 378 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:13,960 Doesn't even pull the paper apart to peek at what's in it. 379 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:16,720 Real mad Joe, she may not let me back in the house tonight. 380 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:18,840 Well you can apologize when you get home. 381 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:21,400 I don't know Joe, Fay's pretty sore, didn't even open the present. 382 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:22,400 Wait a minute. 383 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:23,400 Listen. 384 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:25,400 Yeah, tell where it's coming from? 385 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,400 Yeah, sounds like up on seven, come on. 386 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:32,400 Yeah, right here, pull up. 387 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:33,400 Come on. 388 00:12:33,400 --> 00:12:36,400 I'll take the front. 389 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,400 All right. 390 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:46,040 Hey, hold it up there. 391 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:48,040 Police officers, stop or I'll shoot. 392 00:12:48,040 --> 00:12:50,040 Frank, he's coming around your way. 393 00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:51,040 Okay. 394 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:52,040 Take it easy. 395 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:53,040 Go ahead and shoot. 396 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:54,040 Come on and kill me. 397 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:55,040 Go ahead and shoot me, it doesn't matter anymore. 398 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:56,040 Everything all right? 399 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:57,040 Yeah. 400 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:58,040 Just a kid Joe. 401 00:12:58,040 --> 00:12:59,040 I see. 402 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:00,040 What are you doing in the store son? 403 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:01,040 What do you think I'm doing? 404 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:02,040 He asked you a question son. 405 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:03,040 Pretty stupid. 406 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:04,040 What do you think I was doing? 407 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:05,040 How many stores you're broken into son? 408 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:06,040 Figure it out for yourself. 409 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:07,040 Look, what do you got a chip on your shoulder for? 410 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:08,040 You're big guys. 411 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:09,040 Don't give me a lot of conversation. 412 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:10,040 Do what you want to do. 413 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:11,040 All right boy, you call it. 414 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:12,040 Come on. 415 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:28,160 1150 PM, we called the office and told them that we had a subject in custody and that we 416 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:29,960 were taking him to Georgia Street Juvenile Bureau. 417 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:33,600 We put the boy in our car and we waited until a radio car arrived. 418 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:37,500 We asked the officers to notify the owner of the store and stand by until he got there. 419 00:13:37,500 --> 00:13:40,400 We also asked that they make a 459 report. 420 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:43,880 1150 PM, we started to take the youngster to the juvenile bureau. 421 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:46,560 What's your name son? 422 00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:47,560 What difference does it make? 423 00:13:47,560 --> 00:13:49,240 Acting like that isn't going to help you. 424 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:50,700 You guys picked me up remember? 425 00:13:50,700 --> 00:13:51,700 You worry about it. 426 00:13:51,700 --> 00:13:52,700 I got nothing to be afraid of. 427 00:13:52,700 --> 00:13:53,700 Oh yes you have boy. 428 00:13:53,700 --> 00:13:55,240 You could have been shot back there. 429 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,640 Maybe you should have pulled a trigger. 430 00:13:57,640 --> 00:13:59,080 Look son, what's the matter with you? 431 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:00,080 Why are you acting like this? 432 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:01,800 You just got real lucky back there. 433 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:03,080 That's the only reason you're alive now. 434 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:04,080 It was dark in there. 435 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:05,760 As far as I could tell you were an adult. 436 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:06,760 You didn't stop when I told you to. 437 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:08,080 Now according to the book I could have shot you. 438 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:09,080 You know that don't you? 439 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:10,080 Killing a kid. 440 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:11,080 I'm not going to make you a big man. 441 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:12,520 No I'm just bringing it up to prove a point. 442 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:13,520 Save it. 443 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:15,440 Now look son, I want to tell you something. 444 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:17,880 When you break into a place at night you're not a kid anymore. 445 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:18,880 You're asking for trouble. 446 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:20,560 You've got both your pockets full of it. 447 00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:23,760 The way you work tonight makes us think you're mixed up in a lot more thefts than just tonight. 448 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:24,760 Isn't that right? 449 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:25,760 You ever been arrested before? 450 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:26,760 No. 451 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:27,760 Never been in trouble with the law huh? 452 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:28,760 Sure, I'm a real criminal. 453 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:32,560 I got a ticket once for riding my bike through a boulevard stop. 454 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:34,240 Radio car stopped me and tagged me. 455 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:35,240 Big deal. 456 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:37,040 But they're going to send me to San Quentin. 457 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,640 Maybe you can give me the gas chamber. 458 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:41,600 How old are you? 459 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:42,600 What difference does that make? 460 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:43,600 How old are you? 461 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:44,600 You figure it. 462 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:46,520 Alright, you look like you're about 11 to me. 463 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:47,520 That's what everybody thinks. 464 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:49,400 I'll be 15 my next birthday. 465 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:50,400 Don't kid us son. 466 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:51,400 It's the truth, 15. 467 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:52,400 That's what I'll be, 15. 468 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:53,400 When were you born? 469 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:54,400 1939, November 2nd. 470 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:56,400 You're small for your age aren't you? 471 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:57,400 Why do you say that? 472 00:14:57,400 --> 00:14:58,400 Aren't you? 473 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,040 It's got nothing to do with it, nothing at all. 474 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,000 I can do anything any other kid can do. 475 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:03,000 Anything. 476 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:04,000 Don't you forget that. 477 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:05,000 What's the matter with you? 478 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:06,000 Is that a sore point with you? 479 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:07,000 Huh? 480 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:08,000 Your size. 481 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:09,000 Is that a sore point? 482 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:10,000 I don't have any size. 483 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:11,000 The doctor says that I'm alright. 484 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,680 Just that some people aren't meant to be as big as others. 485 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:14,680 That's all. 486 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:15,680 There's nothing wrong with me. 487 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,680 Now now come on son, what's your name? 488 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:20,600 Now look, you know we're going to find out. 489 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,480 How are you going to find out? 490 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:23,480 We will. 491 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:25,960 Now why don't you save us all a lot of time and tell us the truth here. 492 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:30,080 It'd be better if you did. 493 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:31,080 If I do tell you. 494 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:32,440 You going to put it in the papers? 495 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:33,440 What? 496 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:34,440 I tell you. 497 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:36,440 There are going to be a lot of reporters around. 498 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:37,440 My name going to get in the papers? 499 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:38,440 Not from us. 500 00:15:38,440 --> 00:15:39,440 Can't tell you then. 501 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:42,120 You mean if there's no reporters around you aren't going to tell us your name? 502 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:43,120 Is that it? 503 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:44,120 That's the way it is. 504 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:46,080 It's kind of funny isn't it? 505 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,240 Maybe that's the way it looks to you. 506 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:50,240 Where do you live? 507 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:51,240 Can't tell you that either. 508 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:54,200 Look you've got things all wrong son. 509 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:55,480 It isn't what you want to tell us. 510 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:56,640 That's got nothing to do with this. 511 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,040 You're going to tell us what we want to know sooner or later. 512 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:00,040 Where are we going? 513 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:01,040 Georgia Street. 514 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:02,040 That's where the jail is. 515 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:03,040 Why do you ask that? 516 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:04,040 Because I want to know. 517 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:05,040 Yeah there's a jail there. 518 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:06,040 Reporters? 519 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:07,040 What? 520 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:08,040 There are going to be reporters there. 521 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:09,040 What's the deal with reporters in here? 522 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:10,040 What's this all about? 523 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:12,040 Reporters put your name in the papers don't they? 524 00:16:12,040 --> 00:16:13,040 Sometimes. 525 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:14,760 Well you get the reporters all lined up. 526 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:15,760 You get them from all the papers. 527 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:17,800 You have them there and I'll tell you all about it. 528 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:18,800 The whole story. 529 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,640 You just get the reporters and the photographers. 530 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:24,280 Be sure about them because I want some pictures too. 531 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,840 Well look let me get this straight. 532 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:27,840 What? 533 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:29,960 You say you aren't going to give us any information without the press being there. 534 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:30,960 Is that right? 535 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:31,960 That's the way it's going to be. 536 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:32,960 You got it wrong boy. 537 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:33,960 What? 538 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:34,960 Doesn't make any difference who's there. 539 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:35,960 You're going to come around. 540 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:36,960 Yeah. 541 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,960 You got it. 542 00:16:39,960 --> 00:16:41,960 Yes. 543 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:46,840 Thank you. 544 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:48,820 You are listening to Dragnet. 545 00:16:48,820 --> 00:16:52,580 The authentic story of your police force in action. 546 00:16:52,580 --> 00:16:57,340 Smokers by the thousands are now changing to Chesterfield because they're learning the 547 00:16:57,340 --> 00:16:59,720 facts about Chesterfield. 548 00:16:59,720 --> 00:17:00,720 Facts like these. 549 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,960 A doctor has been examining Chesterfield smokers for 20 months. 550 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:10,280 almost two full years now. We've just received his latest report and it 551 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:17,280 confirms again no adverse effects to the nose throat and sinuses from smoking 552 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:23,760 Chesterfield. That's a matter of record and so is this. Chesterfield is the only 553 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:29,760 cigarette proved highest in quality low in nicotine. Those are the facts about 554 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:35,640 Chesterfield. More good reasons why Chesterfield's tastes so good. Smoke so 555 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:41,760 much milder. How about it friends? Smoke America's most popular two-way cigarette 556 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:48,880 Chesterfield. Regular and king-size. Best for you. 557 00:17:48,880 --> 00:18:00,520 12 10 a.m. we got to Georgia Street Juvenile Bureau. Frank pulled the car 558 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:04,780 into the side alley and we took the subject out of the back seat. Up this way 559 00:18:04,780 --> 00:18:08,920 son. It's a seedy looking place. Yeah well it's been here a long time. Looks like I 560 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:13,320 said out of a picture. Don't you worry about it huh. You want to take him down 561 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:21,560 the hall Frank I'll check with Hargrove. Yeah come on. Hi Friday working kind of 562 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:25,040 late aren't you. Yeah we are. I got the note from Simmons on the milk burglaries. 563 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:27,920 Checked around the nightwives nothing on it so I didn't call you. I don't think 564 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:30,760 you have to worry about it. I think we got the answer. Yeah. We just picked up a 565 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:33,920 kid. We got him dead to rights in a market. Open bottle of milk right next to 566 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:37,200 the cash register. Where is he now? Frank's got him down the hall. You think 567 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,120 he's your boy? It looks like it. Everything adds up. The entrance, what he 568 00:18:40,120 --> 00:18:44,200 tried to take, the milk, all along seems to fit. You got that kind of a case what 569 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:48,200 are you worrying about? Just two things. Yeah. Who he is and why he did it. He won't 570 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,360 tell you? No. He's got some big thing working about the press. Says he won't 571 00:18:51,360 --> 00:18:54,480 give us anything without reporters being there. Makes it rough Joe you know the 572 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:58,920 policy. Yeah I do. He won't let us help him. If he wants publicity take me down 573 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:04,720 introduce me as a reporter. Well that might do it. Won't do any harm to try. Let's go. 574 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:12,800 Go ahead. Thanks. Who am I gonna be? Well tell me Sid Hughes from the mirror. Might as 575 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:21,320 well be one of the good ones. Son you wanted to talk to somebody from the 576 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:25,240 papers. It's against the policy but we swung it for you. This is Sid Hughes from 577 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:29,680 the mirror. Hi. You the fella that held that guy on the phone in Baltimore? Yeah. Great. I 578 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:33,800 read all about it. You gonna write me up like that? I hope not son. There were two 579 00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:37,960 men killed in that operation. I read all the stories. Everybody did. That's how I 580 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:41,580 mean for you to write me up with a picture. What makes you think you got it 581 00:19:41,580 --> 00:19:44,840 coming? You break into one store and try to steal a couple of cartons of 582 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:49,600 cigarettes. That doesn't make the first page. One store? I got into 19 of them. 19 583 00:19:49,600 --> 00:19:53,920 before they caught me. That's important isn't it? That's a story. I don't know. Might be. 584 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:56,720 Couple of things we better get straightened out here. First off what's 585 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:00,640 your name? Better get your notebook out. Be able to take all this down. Don't worry 586 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:05,080 about it son. You just answer the questions. I'll get it. Yeah. Okay. My name 587 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:12,960 is Elroy Graham. That's E-L-R-O-Y G-R-A-H-A-M. Yeah. How old are you? I told you once. 588 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:18,360 Almost 15. You said you'd broken into 19 stores. Is that right? Yeah. 19. Might have 589 00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:21,120 made them more but something went wrong tonight. Had trouble with the burglar 590 00:20:21,120 --> 00:20:25,760 alarm. Thought I turned it off. Bad mistake. He's still working. It wasn't for that. 591 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:30,440 Guess it only takes one though huh Mr. Hughes? Yeah I guess so. You want to tell us 592 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,720 why you did it? What? You had to have a reason for committing these robberies. You 593 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:39,800 want to tell us what it was? Sure. Good reason. Real good. All right tell us. Well you 594 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,840 see I always had trouble at school. Never seemed to quite make it. All the guys 595 00:20:43,840 --> 00:20:47,560 like me. They all did. All the girls do too. Got girls calling me almost every 596 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:51,080 night asking me to take them to dances. Stuff like that. I don't go much for 597 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:56,400 stuff like that. You can understand can't you Mr. Hughes? Go ahead Elroy. Well they 598 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:01,120 wanted me for all our teams. Football, basketball. All the time asking me to play. But I 599 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:04,480 figure if you want to get ahead in the world you got to have an aim. Some place 600 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:07,920 where you want to get. Figure out that. Work for it and you're gonna get there. 601 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:13,000 Don't you find that true Mr. Hughes? Go ahead. That's the way it was with me. All 602 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:16,320 the time turning down offers to be on some team. Telling some girl that I 603 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:20,400 couldn't take her to a dance. Just didn't have the time. Somehow I just couldn't 604 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:24,060 make it. You can understand it. You've been around you know all the successful 605 00:21:24,060 --> 00:21:28,760 kind of people. You write something a lot of people read it. You know what I mean. 606 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:35,960 Don't you? What's the matter? Something wrong? I'm trying to tell you what 607 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:41,080 happened. I'm giving it to you straight. What's the matter? Now you want to tell 608 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,600 us the truth Elroy. What? I don't know why you're trying to sell us this line boy. 609 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,720 It isn't necessary. I don't know why you did what you did but I do know you had a 610 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:52,080 reason for it. That's all we want to know. Just the reason. You don't believe me? 611 00:21:52,080 --> 00:22:01,800 Afraid not. How about you? No son, I don't. Mr. Hughes? No. Can't even lie right. 612 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:06,600 Can't even tell a lie good. All my life I've been trying to be like other kids. 613 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:11,680 All the time getting beat up, getting left out of things. You know why? Do you 614 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:18,800 know? Go ahead son. Big reason. Biggest reason in the world. 615 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:24,520 Cuz I'm almost 15 years old. I'm four feet seven inches tall. Four feet seven. 616 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:32,200 Weight 97 pounds. That ain't very big. Not big enough. Old time other kids shoving 617 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:38,040 you around. All the time you're the joke. Gets to the time when you figure it's 618 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:42,920 easy to laugh too. Because if you don't some kids gonna beat you up. Get to the 619 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:47,560 point where you don't care anymore. I used to clip out those coupons and send 620 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:52,280 them in. Get the books back on how to build myself up. Worked at it. Didn't do 621 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:58,240 nothing for me. Was still four feet seven and weight 97 pounds. All the stuff I took 622 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:05,360 didn't do no good. Still came out four feet seven. 97 pounds. All right son. You 623 00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:10,440 want to tell us about the burglaries? I did it to be big. That's why. I had the 624 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:15,560 things other people wanted. Cigarettes, candy. The other things kids wanted. I had 625 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:20,560 all that stuff that the other kids wanted. Made me important. Don't you see that? 626 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:25,040 You got to understand it Mr. Hughes. That's why I wanted my picture in the 627 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:29,600 paper. That's why I wanted the story. So the kids would know that I'd done 628 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:39,600 something big. So they know. All right son. It's gonna be all right here. No it 629 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:44,400 isn't. Like everything else I tried to do. I loused it up. I didn't mean to steal 630 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:49,200 but it was the only thing to do. The only way I had. That wasn't there some other? 631 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:54,200 No. No there wasn't. All the time the other kids laughing. All the time 632 00:23:54,200 --> 00:24:04,040 talking. I just couldn't stand it anymore. I just couldn't. Here you go. Thanks. 633 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:11,240 You can understand it can't you? It makes sense. What's that son? Wasn't so much the 634 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:16,960 kids saying I was little. Yeah. I didn't want to think I was small. 635 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:26,480 12 36 a.m. We contacted the parents of the Graham boy and asked them to come 636 00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:29,920 down to the station. We talked to them for an hour and tried to fill them in. In 637 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,960 view of the fact that the parents of the subject were responsible persons the 638 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:37,160 boy was booked for violation of section 459 PC delinquent and he was released to 639 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:40,920 his parents pending his hearing in juvenile court. Five days passed and we 640 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:45,000 heard nothing from the boy. On December 24th Frank and I checked into the office. 641 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:51,680 Friday. Yeah Earl. Get in the back. I want to see you and Smith. Okay thank you. 642 00:24:54,200 --> 00:25:00,040 Hi Mr. Friday. Well Roy what can we do for you? Well I guess you think it's kind of 643 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:04,080 funny. What's that? I want to tell you that I sure think it's good what you did 644 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:07,760 for me. Help me with that burglary thing the other night. Well it isn't over yet son. 645 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:11,880 The court still has to make a decision on it. Yeah but what you did to make me feel 646 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,480 better. As far as I'm concerned whatever the judge decides I'll go along with it. 647 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:20,280 I had a long talk with my folks so we got it all talked out. All the way talked out. 648 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:25,720 Well that's good son. We're glad of it son. Maybe you guys won't like it. I mean me 649 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:30,840 knowing you such a short time and all. But I wanted to bring you these. Merry 650 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:35,120 Christmas. Well that's awful nice of you. Alright but it isn't necessary. I want to 651 00:25:35,120 --> 00:25:39,160 give them to you anyway. For what you did for me. Well that's mighty nice of you. 652 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:45,080 Alright sure appreciate it. A couple of packages of cigarettes. Hope they're the 653 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:52,720 kind of smoke. Yeah son they'll be fine. Thanks son. Well see you guys around huh? 654 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:59,320 Yeah sure son. Just one more thing sergeant. Yeah son? Just thought you'd 655 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:09,680 like to know. Yeah what's that? I didn't steal those. 656 00:26:09,680 --> 00:26:14,760 The story you have just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the 657 00:26:14,760 --> 00:26:19,160 innocent. On the 21st of December a petition was filed in juvenile court on 658 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:24,240 behalf of the subject. On January 26th trial was held in Department 52 of 659 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:28,360 juvenile court state of California in and for the County of Los Angeles. In a 660 00:26:28,360 --> 00:26:32,640 moment the results of that trial. Now here is our star Jack Webb. Thank You 661 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:36,520 George Veneman. Friends Thanksgiving is traditionally a time when families and 662 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:40,360 friends get together. I'd like to make this suggestion. Tomorrow get a couple 663 00:26:40,360 --> 00:26:44,160 of cartons at Chesterfields. You'll be all set for Thanksgiving and the weekend. 664 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:49,080 We know you, your family, and guests are sure to enjoy America's most popular 665 00:26:49,080 --> 00:27:02,680 two-way cigarette. Chesterfield regular and king-size. Best for you. 666 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:06,720 Elroy Merton Graham appeared before the juvenile court where he admitted the 667 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:10,800 alleged burglaries. At this time under the counsel of the judge of the juvenile 668 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:14,000 court the subject was placed under the care of the probation department for a 669 00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:18,040 period of three years with the provision that his parents take him to a competent 670 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:23,160 psychiatrist. Ladies and gentlemen don't forget your letter carrier when he makes 671 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:27,160 a special trip to call on you for muscular dystrophy. Reach in your pocket. 672 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:49,160 Give for muscular dystrophy. 673 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:54,600 You have just heard Dragnet. A series of authentic cases from official files. 674 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:59,240 Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police WH Parker, Los Angeles 675 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:03,920 Police Department. Technical advisors Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, 676 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:09,200 Sergeant Vance Brasher. Heard tonight were Ben Alexander, Jack Prushin, Olin Suley, 677 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:18,680 Sammy Ogg. Script by John Robinson. Music by Walter Schuman. Hal Gibney speaking. 678 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:23,520 Watch an entirely new Dragnet case history each week on your local NBC 679 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:29,240 television station. Please check your newspaper for the day and time. 680 00:28:29,240 --> 00:28:37,240 Chesterfield has brought you Dragnet transcribed from Los Angeles. 681 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:42,920 Have you tried new cork tip Fatima? It's the smooth smoke with Fatima tips of 682 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:48,840 perfect cork. King size for longer filtering and Fatima quality for a much 683 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:54,360 better flavor and aroma. Fatima is made and guaranteed by Liggett and Myers 684 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:59,360 tobacco company. Try Fatima today. 685 00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:23,360 Here, Merrill Muller and the news next on the NBC Radio Network.