Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Dragnet.
For Detective Sergeant, you're assigned a juvenile detail.
In the past six weeks, a junior high school has been broken into three times, and extensive
damage has been done by vandals.
Your job, investigate.
Was Monday, March 9th.
Was cold in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch out of juvenile detail.
My partner's Frank Smith.
The boss is Captain Powers.
My name's Friday.
We're on our way out from the office.
It was 8.32 a.m. when we got to the Hillside Junior High School, the Vice Principal's office.
Good morning.
May I help you?
Yes, ma'am.
Police officers.
We'd like to see Miss Ridley.
Oh, yes.
You've been here before, haven't you?
That's right.
Miss Ridley's expecting you.
You can go right in.
Thank you very much.
Come in.
Good morning, officers.
Come in, please.
You can sit down.
Thank you.
You seem to be getting more than our share of trouble.
Yes, ma'am.
What is it this time?
Same as before, a little more serious.
Cafeteria?
Yes.
Wait until you see the place.
Just downright vandalism.
Food thrown all over on the walls and the floor.
But they didn't stop there.
What do you mean?
The student supply store was broken into.
In fact, that's where the entrance was made.
Yeah.
The girl in charge says that a number of items are missing.
What was taken?
I think the students used in school, notebook, pencil, fountain pen, and a
little bit of a
transportation book taken to those the kind of kids use on the buses and streetcars.
That's right.
Well, they have serial numbers, don't they?
Yes, we keep a record of them in the office.
They'll be able to give us a list of the numbers on the missing books.
Oh, yes.
All right, fine.
What if we take a look at that store room?
Surely.
It's right next to the office.
I wasn't so sure the last time, but I am now.
What do you mean?
I thought who's responsible for this.
You got an idea who might have done it?
Well, I'm pretty sure it must be a student or a former student.
Why do you say that, Miss Ridley?
No, there's the window they entered.
Somebody must have known that this window opened under the store room.
Screen's torn here and the window's broken.
You know somebody special in mind who might have done this?
No.
It wouldn't be fair to cast suspicion on any boy or girl without proof.
Well, have you had trouble with any students since we were here last?
Yes.
What was wrong, ma'am?
During study periods, a group of five boys were causing minor disturbances.
Uh-huh.
But it's all been straightened out.
I had a talk with the leader of the group.
Found out he wanted to take part in school athletics.
His parents didn't want him to, afraid he might be injured.
So I called them in for a conference.
We talked and they finally agreed to let the boy participate in school sports.
Uh-huh.
That's all there was to it.
Haven't had any trouble since.
How about the other boys?
They weren't really bad.
Without a leader, they just settled down.
I'm sure it wasn't any of them.
Uh-huh.
What if you could tell us if anything has been moved in here?
No.
This is just the way we found it.
Uh-huh.
I wonder why they didn't mess this room up, too.
I don't know.
I've been teaching for 20 years and I'm pretty sure of one thing.
What's that, ma'am?
Children do wrong, but not because they want to be tough or brave.
Usually because they're afraid of something.
Uh-huh.
Most of them are pretty frightened kids.
They need help.
Well, we'll buy that.
The problem is, what happens to them if they don't get it?
I'm afraid you know the answer to that one better than I do.
They'll still be around.
Yes?
They'll still be frightened adults.
In the cafeteria, we found conditions about the same as we had after the previous acts
of vandalism at the school.
The refrigerator had been ransacked, cartons of milk along with containers of ice cream
and frozen foods had been smacked against the walls and the floor.
The tables had been overturned and the chairs had been thrown around and broken.
The floor was covered with glass.
Frank put in a call to latent prints and they sent a crew out to go over the storeroom and
the cafeteria.
Miss Ridley told us that she had already notified school security.
Before we left, she furnished us with a complete list of stolen articles and the serial numbers
for the missing student transportation books.
We returned to Georgia Street and met with Captain Powers.
You're pretty sure it's jubilant?
Yeah, the kind of stuff it was taken and the damage done, sure points that way.
Any help from Miss Ridley?
Yeah, but she couldn't give us any names.
No teacher-pupil problem.
Yeah, she mentioned a minor case, but said it had been cleared up.
This is the third time in six weeks for the school, isn't it?
Yeah.
Kids don't usually travel very far for these deals.
There's a good chance it's some of them from the school.
Well, now the way it looks, if they try to peddle this stuff to the other kids, we might
be able to get a lead on them.
There's a hitch to that, though.
What do you mean?
Well, Miss Ridley said that she was going to make an announcement to the student body.
Yeah.
She said she'd be on the lookout for the stolen artichokes.
Kids that took the stuff are in school.
They might lay low for a while.
That's it.
How much was taken?
About $500 for the school supplies.
Pretty good haul.
Yeah.
What do you want to do about it?
Well, if it's all right with you, Frank, and I'd like to put a stake out on the school.
All right, when?
We know the janitors work into the early morning hours on Fridays.
Yeah.
So it figures the school must be broken into sometime on Saturday or Sunday.
All right, when do you want to start?
This coming weekend.
Okay, I'll arrange a clearance for you with school security.
Any more help you need, let me know.
Well, we're dead.
It must have something against the cafeteria.
The place was a real mess.
Yeah.
Bad enough the first couple of times.
Didn't leave anything in the freezer this trip.
Sure doesn't make much sense.
I don't know.
Maybe it does.
What?
Each time they hit the cafeteria, right?
Yeah, that's right.
And they didn't tear up the store room?
Well, threw a few pencil boxes around.
That's about all.
Yes, but every time food has been destroyed.
That's right.
Well, we got a reason for doing it.
Yeah?
Somebody that can't resist the urge to eat all the time doesn't like being overweight.
So without knowing why they do it, they destroy food.
It could be a part of it, anyway.
It's only a theory, but it might hold water.
Yeah, that's true, but we don't know if it's a gang or after, or just one person.
Another thing, they've broken in three times.
Might have been by different kids.
Good questions, all of them.
Yeah.
That's why you get paid.
To get the answers.
We kept in contact with Ms. Ridley during the rest of the week, but as far as she knew,
none of the stolen articles showed up.
Captain Powers talked with the school security section of the Board of Education, and Frank
and I staked out in the school on Saturday and Sunday.
There was no disturbance.
We went back the following weekend.
Saturday passed without trouble.
Sunday, 7.34 p.m.
We were sitting in the vice principal's office.
Frank.
Yeah?
Come on.
Frank.
All right, son.
Come on.
Party's over.
What?
Come on.
Grab him, Frank.
Let me go.
Take it easy, boy.
Now, take it easy.
This isn't going to help.
Just hold still.
What's your name?
Jerry.
What's your last name?
Beth.
Jerry.
What's your last name?
Beck.
You've done this before?
Come on, son.
Answer me.
All right, let's go.
You going to put me in jail?
We'll see.
I'm not afraid of you cops.
There's no reason you should be.
Why'd you throw all this food around?
I don't know.
You haven't got a reason?
No.
I sure went to a lot of trouble to catch me.
Not too much, son.
Huh?
You made it easy.
Before leaving the school, Frank called school security and notified them of the broken window
and the damage done by Jerry Beckel.
We drove back to Georgia Street to question the subject further.
On the way down, he refused to say anything.
The office he told us he lived at 1206 Walnut Street.
He said he was going to check Central Juvenile Index at 842 p.m.
That's all.
Not going to tell you anymore.
Now let's get one thing straight, son.
You're in trouble.
We'd like to help you, but you've got to play ball with us.
We'll level with you, but you've got to play it the same way.
Do you understand?
Yeah.
All right.
Now we can't do anything for you unless you want us to.
Unless we know why you do these things, it'll be pretty hard for you to find a way out.
Is that clear?
I guess so.
Well, the only way we can find out is if you tell us the truth.
So?
Yeah.
My boy has no previous record.
All right, how about it?
You ready to answer our questions now, son?
Sure.
But it won't do any good.
Why do you say that?
You can't change my looks, can you?
Well, why?
There's no reason to do that.
You look healthy to me.
Sure, I'm healthy.
Fat and ugly, too.
That's why I had the trouble with Miss Ridley.
Well, I suppose you'd tell us about it.
She kicked me out of school.
Why?
Fighting.
Who were you fighting with?
Different guys.
Why'd you fight?
Called me names.
Well, I'd go ahead.
It's my fault.
I can't help how I look.
You sure that's why you had the fights?
It wouldn't let me alone.
Suppose you think I'm real good looking, huh?
Son, I told you we'd level with you.
You're not an ugly kid.
Now, it seems to me you're imagining a lot.
Sure.
I suppose they call me Lard Barrel and Witch Man,
because they imagine it, too.
Maybe they got another reason.
Like what?
To needle you.
If you didn't let them know it bothered you,
they probably wouldn't have kept it up.
They called you names to get you into fights.
Don't you think that's it?
That's what you say.
Well, that's what we believe.
She didn't have to kick me out of school.
How many fights you have, Jack?
I don't know.
Well, you must have some idea.
Quite a few.
Miss Ridley talked to you?
Yeah.
She gave you more than one chance, didn't she?
Yeah.
The kids kept asking me.
Wouldn't let me alone.
You don't like Miss Ridley, do you?
Why should I?
Is that why you broke into the school?
Maybe.
How many times you go in?
Three.
Did you steal the things from the star room?
Yeah.
Where are they?
You live with your father and mother?
Yeah.
Any brothers or sisters?
Two brothers, three sisters.
Well, now when you had the trouble at school,
did Miss Ridley talk to your parents?
No.
She didn't get in touch with them at all, huh?
Sure, she tried, but they didn't go in to see her.
Is there any reason why they didn't?
Oh, it just didn't go, I'd say.
Well, I guess we'd better go out
and have a talk with them this time.
Why?
Well, I'll have to know about this trouble that you're in.
Maybe if we talk to them,
we can sort of work this problem out together,
don't you think?
That won't do any good.
Why not, son?
I think I'm fat and ugly.
Jerry Becker went on to say
that he was now attending the Jansen School,
one of two maintained in the city for juveniles
who have difficulty making adjustments
in normal school life.
He also told us that on all three occasions
he had been alone when he broke into the Hillside School.
We drove out to his home.
It was a small frame house, badly in need of repair.
We met his father, Henry Becker.
We told him the reason for our visit.
So you just can't stay out of trouble.
First it's fighting and you get kicked out of school.
Now this mess.
What's the matter with you anyhow?
I don't know, Dad.
Excuse me, Mr. Becker,
but this kind of talk is going to get us anywhere.
Your son has a definite problem and he needs help.
Sure, he's got a problem.
He's no good, never has been, never will be.
You want to take the boy outside?
Sure.
Come on, son.
I suppose you're going to give me the answers.
You sound like you think it's my fault he got into this trouble.
You might have helped keep him out of it.
Sure, just follow him around all day and night,
slap his wrist when he steps out of line.
You were asked to go over to his school when he had trouble before.
Why didn't you go?
I didn't have the time.
I got to worry about five other kids.
They got to eat.
Can't be taking time away from work
just because one of them can't keep his nose clean.
What about your wife?
What do you mean?
Couldn't she have gone over to the school?
Why don't you ask her?
Is she here now?
No.
Gone out, probably at a movie.
She has to have some fun, so she leaves me with the kids.
Is there any reason why she couldn't go and talk with Miss Ridley about your son, Jerry?
Yeah, she figured it was his own problem.
He has to learn to fight his own battles.
Well, that's fine when you know what you're fighting.
Your boy doesn't.
It's nothing to matter with him.
That's where you're wrong.
Your son has an inferiority complex about his looks.
Oh, big deal.
That's one of the things that's wrong with him.
You're trying to tell me he gets into trouble because of the way he feels about his looks?
It's possible that's a good part of it.
You're going to have to go to jail?
I'm afraid he will.
Don't you put kids on probation sometimes?
Let the parents look after them?
Yeah, when they have parents.
Couldn't you do that for Jerry?
If you could show the authorities that you'd be responsible for them, it might work out.
I could do that.
There's something more you've got to do.
Find time to talk to him.
We took the subject along with the recovered stolen property back to Georgia Street.
The next day, Miss Ridley came down and identified the articles as those taken from the school's storeroom.
She said that Jerry Beckal had been in numerous fights before he was dismissed from school.
During her investigation of the disorder, she found that Beckal had provoked several of the fights.
She went on to say that the subject had been a below average student, showing little interest in academic work.
A petition was filed on Beckal's behalf with a juvenile court.
The petition was sustained and he was placed on probation with the Los Angeles County Probation Department
and allowed to remain in the custody of his parents.
March 31st, 8.06 a.m.
I just picked up the reports for yesterday. You want to check them over?
Yeah, all right. Thanks.
I saw the skipper on the way in.
Yeah?
You remember that Austin boy?
Car thief, wasn't he?
Yeah. Violated his probation. Picked up again last night.
Too bad.
What was that kid's name on the hillside school? He ain't that heavy set boy.
Hmm. One who thought he was so ugly?
Yeah, that's the one.
Beckal or something, wasn't he?
Yeah.
What about him?
Look here, the description on this report fits him. Listen to this.
In some states the subject said to her, what are you smiling for, because I'm so ugly?
It might be. What's the charge?
Pretty bad this time.
Yeah?
Attempted robbery and shooting.
Music.
The robbery and shooting had occurred the previous night about 7.30 p.m.
We checked with the Georgia Street Receiving Hospital and we found the victim, Linda Cotterly, had been treated for a minor flesh wound in the leg.
She'd been shot with a.22 caliber pistol.
The hospital report showed that she'd been released and allowed to return home.
We contacted the officers working the case and checked the reports that had been filed.
We asked if we could talk to the victim.
Frank and I drove out to the address and we were admitted by her sister.
Linda Cotterly was lying on a couch in the front room.
We identified ourselves and asked her if she'd mind going over the story for us.
I told the other officers all about it.
Yes, we understand that. We saw their report, but we appreciate your telling us just what happened.
Well, I guess I won't do no harm.
I suppose if more of you know about it, you'll have a better chance to catch the little stinker.
That's right, ma'am.
I shouldn't have said that.
Ma'am?
Little stinker. He was a big stinker.
Oh, yeah.
Could have killed me. Gives me cold chills thinking about it.
We don't understand.
I wonder if you'd do something for me.
Yes, ma'am. What's that?
There's an afghan on the sewing machine in the dining room. Would you get it for me?
Sure.
Thank you.
Why don't you tell us the story?
Sure.
Well, you know I was shot in the leg right here?
Yes, we know.
At first I thought it was just some kid playing a joke.
Here you are, ma'am.
Oh, thank you, Mr. Smith. Would you just drape it over me? Gently now.
All right.
That's fine. Thank you.
Yes, ma'am.
Now, you said you thought it was a joke when this boy tried to hold you up.
Yeah, he was so young looking. Couldn't have been born 15 or 16.
Yeah.
He was sort of chubby. Didn't look mean at all. I guess I should have been scared, but I wasn't. I just smiled.
Did he say anything when he approached you?
About it being a holdup for me?
That's right.
No, came up to me. He had a gun in his hand.
That's when you smiled.
That's right.
Then what happened?
He got a real mad look on his face. Made him look tough.
Is that when he spoke to you?
How'd you know?
Once in the report.
That's right. I'd forgotten. Well, then I guess I can skip the part about what he said.
We'd like to hear his exact words if you can remember him.
He said, what are you smiling for? Because I'm so ugly?
Mm-hmm. Did you get a good look at him?
Yes and no.
How do you mean that?
Well, I did see him, but I don't remember his face too well. I know he was young.
Not too good looking, but it's hard to say just what he did look like.
You think you'd know him if you ever saw him again?
Oh my. It's pretty dark. I'm not sure.
All right. What happened after he spoke to you?
I said no, meaning I didn't think he was ugly.
And they told me to give him my purse. That's when it happened.
What was that, then?
Well, I got scared. I knew he wasn't fool, and I screamed and started running.
Then I heard the noise, gunfire.
Go ahead.
Then I felt a sting on my leg when the bullet hit me.
Kept on running, went past a vacant lot. Kept screaming, and then I saw a man across the street open his front door and looked out.
I ran up to him, told him I'd been shot, and he called the police.
When you said this person was chubby, did you mean he was fat?
Well, he was kind of big around the middle. His face was sort of round like.
How about his hair? Was it dark?
Yeah.
Did you notice if it was straight or wavy?
No. Tell me, you got an idea who this kid was?
Well, we're not sure.
Well, then, one thing.
What's that?
That kid should be taught a lesson. Only one thing to do with them when they're that rotten.
Flatten them around a little and just forget about them.
Well, that's the trouble here.
Hmm?
That's what they did to this boy.
Frank and I went back to the office and checked the records on the petition, and we found that the subject's father, Henry Beckel, was employed at a lumber yard.
We drove down to the place and found him stacking lumber in the back lot.
What's on your mind this time?
How's Jerry been getting along?
All right, I guess.
Attending school regularly?
As far as I know, haven't had any bad reports.
What's he been doing nights?
He stays in the house. Goes out once in a while, never too late. Why?
Where was he Monday night?
Home.
All night?
Yeah.
How about Tuesday?
After supper, he went out for a while, came in early. Why?
How's your son been acting lately?
What do you mean?
Has he had any trouble at school?
I told you, I haven't had any bad reports from him.
How about at home?
No trouble, we're trying to help him.
Well, as far as you know, he's been in pretty good spirits, is that right?
Look, you know he's no ball of fire, but he seems to be happy enough.
Uh-huh.
What is all this anyway?
We're just checking something out.
Well, the way you ask questions, it sounds like you think Jerry's in trouble again.
No, we didn't say that.
Well, you don't have to. I know what you're getting at, and I don't like it.
No reason to get upset.
They're right. How would you feel? Jerry's been released to my custody.
You're as much as telling me I haven't been doing the right thing.
Well, if you're sure of that in your own mind, you don't have anything to worry about, do you?
Well, I've done what I can, but I can't watch him all the time.
What's he supposed to have done this time?
We're not sure he's done anything.
He wouldn't be nosing around if he didn't have some reason.
Just something we gotta check.
All right. But if he got off on the wrong foot again, don't try to pin any tails on me.
I've been doing the right thing, but I don't mind telling you, I've never been too sure he would straighten out.
Is that right?
Yeah. But I'm doing what I can for him.
Yeah?
I feed him, I put clothes on his back, I put a roof over his head. What more can I give him?
You own a gun, Mr. Beckel?
What?
I said you own a gun.
Yeah, why?
What kind?
22 pistol.
We drove over to the Jansen school and we talked to the principal.
We explained our business and he told us that Jerry Beckel hadn't been in school all day.
We drove out to the boy's home and we met his mother.
She said he wasn't there, but he'd probably be home about five o'clock.
We went back to the car and waited.
At 4.30 p.m. Henry Beckel returned from work.
He drove into the yard and we met him at the back door.
So you're here again.
That's right. Let's go in the house, Beckel.
If you want it.
Go ahead.
You want to tell me what this is all about now?
We'd like to talk to Jerry first.
If you want to see him, why didn't you go over to his school?
We did. He wasn't there today.
The kids are up to their old tricks again.
Oh, they found you.
This is my wife.
We met. What's the trouble?
Jerry again. He wasn't in school today.
That all?
We should get out of the kitchen so I can pick supper.
Yeah.
You guys want to come on into the other room?
All right.
While we're waiting for your son, I wonder if you'd get that gun for us.
Why should we?
You've got no choice, fellow.
In the closet.
You said that before. Now where is it?
Over there.
Where?
In that box. A small flat one.
This one here?
Yeah.
When's the last time you fired this?
I don't know. It's been quite a while.
What do you think?
Smells like it was fired recently.
What time does Jerry usually get home?
We eat at 5.30. He'll be here by then.
Uh-huh.
You don't have to worry about him not showing up.
He might skip school, but that fat lazy slob won't miss a meal.
He eats twice as much as the other kids. No wonder he looks like he does.
Hi, Mom.
Let's go.
Right.
Hi, son.
Hi. What do you want?
Fred, we're going to have to take you with us.
Can he eat first?
It won't hurt him any, dummy. Some of you will look at him.
Looks like a fat toad.
Well, why don't you say so?
All right. Doesn't make any difference. You'd like to be rid of me anyway.
Take it easy, son.
You all want to hear it? Okay, I'll tell you.
I shot her.
We took Jerry Beckle down to Georgia Street for further questioning.
After the outbreak at his home, he quieted down and refused to say anything more.
We talked to him for an hour and he finally admitted the whole story.
All right, son. Why'd you take the gun?
To get some money, I guess.
Now, was that the only way you could get it?
I don't know.
You could have gotten a job.
I tried to.
Yeah?
Nobody wanted me.
Well, how many people did you ask for work?
Just one place.
And then you gave up?
That was enough. I knew I wouldn't get a job.
Did they tell you they wouldn't give you work?
I didn't have to. I knew just the way they looked at me.
Did you ever ask your father for money?
Yeah. He gave me and he just read me off.
What'd he say to you?
What he always does, I'm fat, lazy, not good for anything but put my feet under the table and eat.
So you decided to get out and rob somebody, huh?
Yeah.
Why'd you shoot at the woman?
I'm not sure.
But she didn't do you any harm, did she?
No. She made me mad, laughed at me, just like all the rest.
She did, huh?
Sure. Because I'm fat.
Did she say that?
No. I could tell what she was thinking.
You could, huh?
People shouldn't laugh at somebody just because they're fat.
Yeah.
They got no right to do that.
Maybe. But how much did you have?
Huh?
When you shot her.
The story you have just heard is true.
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
On July 14th, trial was held in Department 98, Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the County of Los Angeles.
Jerome Howard Beckel was remanded to the juvenile authorities and placed in the foster home where he was assured of 24-hour supervision.
One of the conditions of his probation was that he received psychiatric aid by a doctor appointed by the court.
Dragnet, the story of your police force in action is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.