1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 Dragnet. 2 00:00:03,000 --> 00:00:10,000 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:21,000 The names have been changed to protect the innocent. 4 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,000 You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to auto theft detail. 5 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:29,000 The recovery rate of stolen automobiles in your city has dropped far below normal. 6 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:39,000 Evidence points to an organized gang of car thieves. Your job, break it up. 7 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:43,000 It was Tuesday, June 14th. It was hot in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of auto theft detail. 8 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:47,000 My partner is Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Nelson. My name is Friday. 9 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:52,000 We were on our way out from the office and it was 1127 A.M. when we got to 2564 Dewey Avenue. 10 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,000 Apartment 3G. 11 00:00:54,000 --> 00:01:00,000 Want to try it again? 12 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,000 Oh, hi Joe, Frank. 13 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:03,000 Hi, Whitey. 14 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:04,000 Morning. 15 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:05,000 Thanks. 16 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,000 Come on out in the kitchen. 17 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,000 Washing out some socks. You don't care if I finish up, do you? 18 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:10,000 No, go ahead. 19 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,000 I got up this morning. I figured I'd better get it done. 20 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,000 I haven't got a clean pair to my name. 21 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,000 Try your chair and sit down. 22 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:19,000 Thank you. 23 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:20,000 What did you want to see me about? 24 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:21,000 A couple questions. 25 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:22,000 I'm not in the fire, am I? 26 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,000 Not with us. 27 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:25,000 Couldn't remember anything. You never know. 28 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:26,000 No. 29 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:27,000 What is it? 30 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:29,000 You still working at that garage? 31 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,000 Night shift. Check in at four. 32 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,000 Just got something to do with my job? 33 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:34,000 Might have, yeah. 34 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,000 Look, fellas, you know their history. I'm not going to try and hand you a lot of slush, but I'm clean. 35 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:39,000 Half a dozen guys will tell you that. 36 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,000 I haven't got off the line since the last time I was tagged. 37 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:45,000 Well, you're in no trouble, Whitey. We figured maybe you could give us a hand. 38 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:46,000 Here's the switch. 39 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:50,000 Me giving you some help. It usually works the other way. 40 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:51,000 What are you looking for? 41 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:55,000 A lot of cars going someplace, Whitey. We're trying to find out where and who's driving them. 42 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:56,000 Thought maybe you might have heard a rumble. 43 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,000 There's always something going around. 44 00:01:58,000 --> 00:01:59,000 You got anything? 45 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,000 Won't do me any good if it goes outside. 46 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:02,000 They won't open the door. 47 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,000 There's supposed to be three of them. 48 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:05,000 What do you know about them? 49 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:08,000 Two men and a woman. Two fellas are supposed to be pretty heavy. 50 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:09,000 Any names? 51 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,000 No, they're planted pretty close. Even the rumble's not solid. 52 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,000 A couple of days ago, I talked to a guy down at the garage. 53 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,000 He was telling me about the operation. Said it was big. 54 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:19,000 He know the people? 55 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,000 Enough to be in the same bar. 56 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:24,000 Told me he tried to get a piece of the action, but they're not cutting any of it. 57 00:02:24,000 --> 00:02:26,000 Can we talk to this guy? 58 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,000 I can't stop you, but I can't give you a hand either. 59 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:29,000 What do you mean? 60 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,000 I can't tell you where to find him. 61 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:32,000 Does he come around the garage much? 62 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:34,000 No, he comes in once in a while. Talks. Nothing regular. 63 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:35,000 What does he do for a living? 64 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:36,000 Drives. 65 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:37,000 Hmm? 66 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:38,000 Stop car races. 67 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,000 Oh, I see. Does he got a name? 68 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,000 Call him Tops. I don't know the rest. 69 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:43,000 You know what he's talking about? 70 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,000 I think so. He likes to yak, but he's on it straight on this. 71 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,000 Did he give you any details on the operation? 72 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:52,000 I didn't ask a lot. I figured the less I know about deals like this, the less I can get in trouble. 73 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:53,000 Yeah. 74 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:55,000 Look at that. 75 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:56,000 Huh? 76 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,000 The way that sock is worn. Argyle. Good ones. 77 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:00,000 Cost me five bucks. 78 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,000 Look at that hole in the heel. Right in the middle of the two covers. 79 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,000 How do you mend a sock like that? 80 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,000 What do you mean? 81 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,000 Well, how do you sew it up? Use one color and it louses up the argyle part. 82 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:10,000 Use the color of the argyle and it'll go into the foot part. 83 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:12,000 Sock people ought to figure some way around it. 84 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:13,000 Yeah. 85 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:15,000 Might as well throw them away. 86 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,000 Any word on what they're doing with the cars? 87 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,000 I didn't hear it. 88 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:20,000 They turning up? 89 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,000 No, not where we can find them. 90 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:23,000 Smart. 91 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:24,000 Are they local people, why not? 92 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,000 I don't know. I don't think so. I can't tell you why. I just don't think they're from L.A. 93 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:29,000 Mm-hmm. 94 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:30,000 They scoring pretty good? 95 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,000 Yeah, they are. 96 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:33,000 Last two weeks we figured they've taken a half a dozen cars. 97 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,000 Well, how do you lay it on them? 98 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,000 Well, the way they're working, the M.O. points to the same gang. 99 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:38,000 What's the pattern? 100 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:41,000 Cars are taken in the early morning hours from in front of the owner's house. 101 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:42,000 Jumper wires? 102 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:43,000 Yeah, all late models. 103 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,000 They won't touch anything that isn't fully equipped. 104 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:46,000 Any special make? 105 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,000 No. As long as the car has a radio and a heater, white sidewalls, they want it. 106 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:50,000 They're not turning up? 107 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:51,000 No. 108 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,000 Maybe they're getting them out of the country. 109 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:54,000 No, that doesn't figure. 110 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,000 We've had the border checked. San Diego's working on it. 111 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,000 Two of the jobs, we had the broadcast out within a half hour after the car was taken. 112 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,000 We couldn't turn anything. Just seemed to disappear. 113 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,000 You must have a big parking lot. 114 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,000 You said the two men were heavy. 115 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:07,000 That's right. 116 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:08,000 How'd you come up with that? 117 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,000 Well, the guy who told me the story, you know, Tops? 118 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:11,000 Yeah. 119 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,000 When he laid the rumble out, he said he talked with one of the fellas at a bar. 120 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:15,000 Mm-hmm. 121 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,000 Told the guy he'd like a piece of the action. 122 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:18,000 About that time, the roof fell out. 123 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:19,000 What do you mean? 124 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:20,000 Well, the guy got real rough. 125 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:21,000 Said there wasn't going to be any split. 126 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,000 The action was going to stay in the same corner. 127 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:24,000 Mm-hmm. 128 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:25,000 Showed Tops a gun. 129 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,000 Said if anything about the operation got out, he'd use it. 130 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:29,000 The way Tops put it, he wasn't kidding. 131 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:31,000 Did you get any kind of a description of the man? 132 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:32,000 No. 133 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:33,000 Did this Tops fella tell you where the bar was? 134 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:34,000 No. 135 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:35,000 Well, okay, Whitey. 136 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:37,000 If you hear from him again, we'd love to know. 137 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:38,000 Sure. 138 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:39,000 Call you at the office? 139 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:40,000 That's right. 140 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:41,000 I wish I could have given you more. 141 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,000 I'll nose around, see if I can pick up anything. 142 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:44,000 We appreciate that. 143 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:45,000 Don't go out in the limo. 144 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:46,000 You don't have to worry about that. 145 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:49,000 I'm not going to line myself up for any trouble I don't need. 146 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,000 Well, we'll check you later, then, huh? 147 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:52,000 Yeah. 148 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,000 Hope I'll have something for you in the next couple of days. 149 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,000 Well, if you do, it'll put you way ahead. 150 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:57,000 Hmm? 151 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:58,000 We've been on it two weeks. 152 00:04:58,000 --> 00:04:59,000 Yeah? 153 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:00,000 We haven't got a place to start. 154 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:09,000 On Saturday, May 27th, the first day of the operation, 155 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,000 the victim said he parked his car in front of his house 156 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:14,000 and returned an hour later to find it gone. 157 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:16,000 An immediate local and APB had been gotten out, 158 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,000 but the vehicle wasn't found. 159 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:22,000 Three days later, on May 30th, there was another theft, same MO. 160 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,000 In spite of all our precautions, the thefts continued. 161 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:27,000 To date, seven automobiles had been taken, 162 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:28,000 and none of them had been recovered. 163 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,000 All possible sources of information had been checked out without result. 164 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:34,000 Outlets for stolen cars had been kept under 24-hour surveillance 165 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,000 without netting any new information. 166 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,000 The stats office had made runs on each theft and on the general MO. 167 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,000 When the list they returned to us was checked, 168 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,000 we were no closer to the thieves. 169 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:46,000 Pressure from the victims and their insurance companies began to build, 170 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:50,000 but there apparently wasn't anything we could do to stop the operation. 171 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,000 Frank and I went back to the office and ran the name and description 172 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,000 of the man known as Topps through the moniker file. 173 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,000 There was no record of such a person. 174 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,000 Two more days passed. Another car was stolen. 175 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,000 People in the immediate vicinity were questioned, 176 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,000 but none of them had seen the thief. 177 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:06,000 Saturday, June 18th, 1140 a.m. 178 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,000 Okay. 179 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,000 I'll have that, Smith. 180 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:11,000 Yeah? 181 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:14,000 Oh, yeah. Can you hold him? 182 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:16,000 Right. He'll be right there. Yeah. 183 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,000 It's Coke. It was Whitey calling from the garage. 184 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:19,000 What's he got? 185 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:20,000 That fella Topps. Yeah. 186 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,000 He just walked in. 187 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,000 Frank and I left the city hall and drove over to the garage 188 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:26,000 where our informant worked. 189 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:28,000 He pointed out an elderly man on the rear of the place. 190 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,000 We identified ourselves and asked him to step into the office. 191 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:32,000 What do you want to see me about? 192 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:33,000 Just a couple of questions. 193 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:34,000 Well, I ain't done nothing. 194 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:35,000 No reason for you to roust me around. 195 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:36,000 You're not being rousted. 196 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:37,000 Well, it sure looks like it from here. 197 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:38,000 Who wants to sit down? 198 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:40,000 I'd rather stand up. It's all the same to you. 199 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:42,000 All right. Suit yourself. You want a cigarette? 200 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:43,000 I'll have a cigarette. 201 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,000 I'll have a cigarette. 202 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:45,000 I'll have a cigarette. 203 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:46,000 I'll have a cigarette. 204 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:47,000 I'll have a cigarette. 205 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:48,000 I'll have a cigarette. 206 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:49,000 I'll have a cigarette. 207 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:50,000 I'll have a cigarette. 208 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:52,000 I'll have a cigarette. 209 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:53,000 Yeah. 210 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:54,000 Frank? 211 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:55,000 Yeah, thanks. 212 00:06:55,000 --> 00:06:56,000 I got a light. 213 00:06:58,000 --> 00:06:59,000 All right. 214 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:01,000 What's your real name, Tops? 215 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:02,000 Henry Grayson. 216 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:03,000 What do you do for a living? 217 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:04,000 Well, I can get a car, I race. 218 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:05,000 Stock car? 219 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:06,000 Yeah. 220 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:07,000 Where? 221 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:08,000 Well, on different tracks. 222 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:09,000 You live here in L.A.? 223 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:10,000 Most of the time. 224 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:11,000 Come back when I'm not working. 225 00:07:11,000 --> 00:07:12,000 You got a job now? 226 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:13,000 No. 227 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:14,000 Figure to go back East next week. 228 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:15,000 Think I can line something up. 229 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:17,000 Hey, look, you maybe got a lot of time to kill. 230 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:18,000 I haven't. 231 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:20,000 Why don't you tell me what this is all about so I can get out of here? 232 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:21,000 You ever been arrested? 233 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:22,000 Huh? 234 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:23,000 You ever been in jail? 235 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:24,000 Yeah. 236 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:25,000 What charge? 237 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:26,000 Well, they didn't make it stick. 238 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:27,000 Well, what were you arrested for? 239 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:28,000 Rancid. 240 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:29,000 Auto or money? 241 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:30,000 Auto. 242 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:31,000 Do any time? 243 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:32,000 I told you, they didn't make it stick. 244 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:33,000 Where'd this happen? 245 00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:34,000 Idaho. 246 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:35,000 That's your only arrest, huh? 247 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:36,000 A couple of times for a bag. 248 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,000 They hold you? 249 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:38,000 No. 250 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:39,000 Give me a floater. 251 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:40,000 Come on, come on. 252 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:41,000 You guys are after something. 253 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:42,000 What is it? 254 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:44,000 You know anything about a gang of car thieves that have been working here in town? 255 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:45,000 What? 256 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:46,000 Stolen cars. 257 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:47,000 Why should I have anything on it? 258 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:48,000 Well, you did. 259 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:49,000 From where? 260 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:50,000 We heard it. 261 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:51,000 Is it true? 262 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:52,000 Lousy whitey. 263 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:53,000 He told you, didn't he? 264 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,000 It's not important where we got the information. 265 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:56,000 We're trying to find out if it's true. 266 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:57,480 Then you'll have to look someplace else. 267 00:07:57,480 --> 00:07:58,480 I got nothing for you. 268 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,000 Where'd you get the nickname Tops? 269 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:02,000 Huh? 270 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:03,000 It's a funny name. 271 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:04,000 How'd you get it? 272 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:06,000 When I was a kid, I had real blonde hair, almost white. 273 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,000 Other kids called me Cotton Top, shortened it down. 274 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:09,000 Mm-hmm. 275 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:10,000 You like driving for a living? 276 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:11,000 It's all right. 277 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:12,000 Better than working. 278 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:13,000 You do pretty good at it. 279 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:14,000 Hmm? 280 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:15,000 Is there any money in driving? 281 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:16,000 It depends. 282 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:17,000 I've got a couple of bad ones. 283 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:18,000 Depends. 284 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:19,000 How do you do? 285 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:20,000 I'm not starving. 286 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:21,000 Mm-hmm. 287 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,000 Well, what do you want to know about the stolen cars? 288 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:24,000 What can you tell us? 289 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:25,000 Not much. 290 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:26,000 We'll take what you got. 291 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,000 I got to talking with a guy one night. 292 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,000 Subject come up, we kicked it around. 293 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:32,000 Turned out he had a deal going for him. 294 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:33,000 A friend of yours? 295 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:34,000 Never saw him before. 296 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:35,000 All right, go ahead. 297 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:36,000 Well, that's it. 298 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:37,000 He had this deal working. 299 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,000 I don't know anymore. 300 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,000 Why don't you do yourself a favor? 301 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:41,000 Why? 302 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,000 If you're not mixed up in this thing, why are you holding out? 303 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:44,000 I'm not. 304 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:45,000 I'm giving you what I know. 305 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,000 I'm not telling the guy's life story, but it's all I got. 306 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:48,000 All right. 307 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,000 From the beginning, tell us, will you? 308 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:51,000 What? 309 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:52,000 Everything this fella said. 310 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:54,000 You got nothing to hold me on. 311 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,000 As far as I'm concerned, it's okay if you do pull me in. 312 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,000 A couple of days on the city, give me rent and food bills. 313 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,000 All right, let's go. 314 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:02,000 Look, if I had any information, I'd give it to you. 315 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:03,000 No reason for me to hold out. 316 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:04,000 That's right. 317 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:05,000 I never saw that guy before. 318 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:06,000 I haven't laid eyes on him since. 319 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:08,000 Then what do you stand in front of him for? 320 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:09,000 What? 321 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:10,000 Makes you look like the patsy for the piece. 322 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,000 Anybody takes a beef, it's going to be you. 323 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:13,000 For what? 324 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:14,000 Sitting in a bar, listening to some drunk? 325 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:15,000 There's more than that and you know it. 326 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,000 I can't tell you. 327 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:18,000 Why? 328 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,000 These guys too heavy for you, are they? 329 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,000 Is that why you won't go along with us? 330 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:24,000 You scared? 331 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,000 If you got to tie it down, that's the reason. 332 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,000 They won't get near you. 333 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:29,000 You can guarantee it? 334 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:30,000 We can. 335 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,000 Okay, I'll go. 336 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:32,000 What do you want to know? 337 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:33,000 The whole story now. 338 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:34,000 There's much to tell. 339 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:38,000 It was in this bar one night, two fellas come in, they were both kind of guests. 340 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,000 They sat down next to me and started to talk. 341 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:41,000 To you? 342 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:42,000 No, but they were right next to me. 343 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:44,000 I could hear what they were saying. 344 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:45,000 Go on. 345 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:46,000 We were talking about this deal. 346 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:47,000 I was all set up. 347 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,000 First off, I didn't know what it was all about. 348 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,000 Then I heard one of them mention something about cars. 349 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:55,000 It's like saying something about a new kind of camera around a photographer. 350 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,000 As soon as I heard the word cars, I started to listen. 351 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:58,000 Good. 352 00:09:58,000 --> 00:09:59,000 They were having a beef about something. 353 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:01,000 One of them wanted to start unloading right away. 354 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,000 The other guy said they should wait for a while, dump them all at once. 355 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,000 Well, they stood there and talked like that for a while. 356 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,000 Then one of them noticed me listening. 357 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:09,000 Go ahead. 358 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:10,000 He leaned over and said something to the other guy. 359 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:12,000 The next thing I knew, I was surrounded. 360 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:14,000 One of them on each side leaning on me. 361 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:15,000 I didn't want any trouble. 362 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,000 I could see those two guys had a pocket full of it, so I went along with them. 363 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:19,000 What happened? 364 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:21,000 Well, they asked me if I liked what I heard. 365 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:22,000 I told them I didn't hear anything. 366 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:24,000 Said I had very bad ears. 367 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:25,000 They didn't believe it. 368 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,000 Said they wanted to talk me outside the bar. 369 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:31,000 I figured if they got me out there, I'd end up with something broken, so I didn't go. 370 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:34,000 Tried to push me around, but the bartender came over and they moved away. 371 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:35,000 What happened then? 372 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:36,000 Came back. 373 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:39,000 Told me if I said anything to anybody but what they were saying, they'd get me. 374 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:40,000 One of them had a gun. 375 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:41,000 He kind of pulled his coat back. 376 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:42,000 I could see it in his belt. 377 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:43,000 They weren't kidding. 378 00:10:43,000 --> 00:10:46,000 Word that I'd talk to you gets back to them, I'm as good as dead. 379 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:47,000 Well, don't worry about it. 380 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:49,000 Did you try and cut yourself in on the deal? 381 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:50,000 No. 382 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:51,000 We heard you did. 383 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:52,000 Well, it's not true. 384 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:53,000 I told Whitey that, but it never happened. 385 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:54,000 Why'd you tell him I did? 386 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:55,000 Well, I don't know. 387 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,000 Trying to be a big man, I guess. 388 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:57,000 Yeah. 389 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:58,000 These two fellas hang around the bar? 390 00:10:58,000 --> 00:10:59,000 Huh? 391 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:00,000 Have you seen the two men around the bar before? 392 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:01,000 No. 393 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:02,000 It's the first time. 394 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,000 Any of the other people in the place seem to know them? 395 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:05,000 Mm-mm. 396 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:06,000 They leave the place before you did? 397 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:09,000 Yeah, finished up their drinks and walked out. 398 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:10,000 They have a car? 399 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:11,000 If they did, I didn't see it. 400 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:12,000 I stayed where I was. 401 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:13,000 Figured maybe they were waiting for me. 402 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:14,000 Didn't leave the place until just before 2. 403 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,000 You think you'd know them again if you saw them? 404 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:17,000 Yeah, I'm sure of it. 405 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:18,000 Well, wait. 406 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,000 I get to come downtown and look through some pictures. 407 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:21,000 Well, I don't like to be a finger. 408 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,000 Well, you haven't got much choice, fella. 409 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:24,000 I suppose not. 410 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:25,000 All right, let's go. 411 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,000 Now, don't forget, you guys said you'd take care of me. 412 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:29,000 We will. 413 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,000 Those fellas find out I'm on your side, they'll try to kill me. 414 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:32,000 Nothing's gonna stop them. 415 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:34,000 Yeah, we think there is. 416 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:35,000 What? 417 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:36,000 What's the matter with us? 418 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:47,000 We took Henry Grayson back to the city hall and had him check the mug books. 419 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:49,000 He was unable to identify the suspects. 420 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,000 We ran his name through the record section and found that he had no arrests in the state 421 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:53,000 of California. 422 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,000 At his own request, it was returned to his home. 423 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:00,000 Local broadcasts and APBs were put out carrying the description of the two male suspects. 424 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,000 A week passed without result. 425 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:03,000 Monday, June 27th. 426 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,000 I got it. 427 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,000 Auto theft Friday. 428 00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:10,000 Yes, sir. 429 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:12,000 That's right. 430 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,000 When was that? 431 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:17,000 No, we can't take one over the phone. 432 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:19,000 Oh, well, I'm sorry, too. 433 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,000 That's right. 434 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:21,000 You live in Hollywood? 435 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:22,000 I see. 436 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:26,000 Well, now, if you'll get out of the police station on Wilcox Avenue, that's right, in 437 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,000 Hollywood, they'll take it for you. 438 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:32,000 1358 between Sunset and Santa Monica. 439 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:33,000 That's right. 440 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:34,000 You betcha. 441 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:35,000 Bye. 442 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:36,000 Bye, Seth. 443 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:37,000 Bicycle. 444 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,000 The fellow says his kid left it in front of the house, came back, and it was gone. 445 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:42,000 That's right. 446 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:43,000 Something we can do for you? 447 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,000 I'd like to talk to somebody about a stolen car. 448 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:47,000 Well, sit down. 449 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:48,000 We'll take the information. 450 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:49,000 Yes, sir. 451 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:50,000 Thank you. 452 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:51,000 All right, sir. 453 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:52,000 What can we do for you? 454 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:53,000 You're a policeman? 455 00:12:53,000 --> 00:12:54,000 That's right. 456 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:55,000 It's Frank Smith. 457 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:56,000 My name's Friday. 458 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:57,000 How do you do? 459 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:58,000 I'm Joel Pennant. 460 00:12:58,000 --> 00:12:59,000 All right, sir. 461 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:00,000 What do you want to see us about? 462 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:01,000 I think I bought a stolen car. 463 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:02,000 Why do you think it's stolen? 464 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:05,000 Well, just the way it was handled, the whole thing's got something funny about it. 465 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:06,000 Where's the car now? 466 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:08,000 I got it parked outside in the other street over there. 467 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:10,000 You have the license number? 468 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:11,000 Yeah, I have. 469 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:12,000 Do you want it? 470 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:13,000 Yes, sir. 471 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:14,000 We can check it for you. 472 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:15,000 I got it written down here. 473 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,000 All the information's someplace. 474 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:18,000 Pink slip, too. 475 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:19,000 Oh, yeah, here it is. 476 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:20,000 All right, fine. 477 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:21,000 Thank you. 478 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:22,000 I'll take a check. 479 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:23,000 Okay. 480 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:24,000 Thanks. 481 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,000 I sure hate to put you in all this trouble. 482 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:28,000 That's all right. 483 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:29,000 I feel silly if it turns out okay. 484 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:30,000 Why do you think the car is stolen? 485 00:13:30,000 --> 00:13:32,000 Well, I own this little place up near Lancaster. 486 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:35,000 It's kind of a bar and a couple of cabins for tourists. 487 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:36,000 We're out of town a ways. 488 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:37,000 We don't do a lot of business. 489 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:39,000 Enough to make a pretty good living, but it's all hard work. 490 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:40,000 Yeah. 491 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,000 Day before yesterday, that was Saturday, this guy came in to the place, had something to 492 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:44,000 eat. 493 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:45,000 We got to talk. 494 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:46,000 You know, nothing important. 495 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:47,000 Yeah. 496 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:48,000 He told me he's on his way back east to find a job. 497 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:51,000 Talked about how he's having a lot of trouble, lost his job and all. 498 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,000 He had this new car parked right outside. 499 00:13:53,000 --> 00:13:54,000 Said he just bought it. 500 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:55,000 Asked me if I knew anybody who'd buy it. 501 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:57,000 You mean he wanted to sell the car? 502 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:58,000 Yeah. 503 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,000 He just got it and he needed the money to get wherever he was going. 504 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:03,000 Told me he paid cash for it and he wanted to get some money out of it. 505 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:04,000 Yeah. 506 00:14:04,000 --> 00:14:06,000 Said he didn't want to take a loss, but he didn't have the price to gas for it. 507 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:07,000 So he wanted to sell it. 508 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:08,000 All right, go ahead. 509 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:12,000 I asked him how much he wanted, quoted a figure, a couple hundred dollars under wholesale. 510 00:14:12,000 --> 00:14:14,000 It seemed like a good deal, so I bought it. 511 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:15,000 Yeah. 512 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:16,000 But then other guys come in and want to sell things. 513 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:19,000 I learned the hard way, so I asked him if he could prove he really owned the car, that 514 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:20,000 he didn't steal it. 515 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:21,000 Yeah. 516 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:22,000 I didn't say it like that, you understand. 517 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,000 If the deal was honest, I didn't want to scare him off. 518 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:25,000 Yeah. 519 00:14:25,000 --> 00:14:28,000 I went to Pinkslip and told me where he bought the car. 520 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:29,000 It's a place called Brompton Auto Service in Hollywood. 521 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:30,000 Did you contact them? 522 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:31,000 Yeah, I put a call right through. 523 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:32,000 What'd they say? 524 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:33,000 Well, they went through a big thrash about it. 525 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:36,000 I talked to a couple of secretaries before I got to the sales manager. 526 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:38,000 He checked the records and he said the car had been purchased from them. 527 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:40,000 He gave me the man's name and everything. 528 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:43,000 Nothing about the deal then to make me think there was anything wrong. 529 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:44,000 Pinkslip, the car people. 530 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:45,000 Yeah. 531 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:46,000 I bought it. 532 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,000 Gave the man a check. 533 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,000 We drove into town and I dropped him off at the bus terminal. 534 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:50,000 He said he'd cashed the check on Monday. 535 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:51,000 That's today. 536 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:52,000 Yeah. 537 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:55,000 I had a friend come into town this morning, checked at the bank and they told me that the check had cleared. 538 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:56,000 That it was cashed first thing. 539 00:14:56,000 --> 00:14:57,000 They opened the doors. 540 00:14:57,000 --> 00:14:59,000 I got worried about it and decided I'd better talk to you. 541 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:00,000 Yeah. 542 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:01,000 How about it? 543 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:02,000 Well, it's stolen all right. 544 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:03,000 I had a feeling. 545 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:04,000 Anything on it? 546 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:05,000 No, I checked the report. 547 00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:06,000 Yeah. 548 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:07,000 It's the bunch we're after. 549 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,000 While the victim, Joel Pennant, looked through the mug books, 550 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:21,000 Frank and I went over to the bank and picked up the check the suspect had cashed. 551 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:24,000 The name on the Pinkslip had been run through R&I, but there was no record on it. 552 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,000 The check was handed over to Larry Sloan in handwriting. 553 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:30,000 The Pinkslip was sent to the crime lab where it was found to be a forgery. 554 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:35,000 We checked the phone book for a listing on the Brompton Auto Service, but we found none. 555 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:40,000 The victim had made a note of the phone number and from it we were able to obtain the address where the telephone was installed. 556 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,000 It was a large office building on 7th Street. 557 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,000 Frank and I went over to see the superintendent. 558 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:50,000 Yeah, this is where they were at 926. 559 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:51,000 When did they move out? 560 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:54,000 Oh, sometime over the weekend. I'm not sure of the day. 561 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:55,000 I'm off on Saturday and Sunday. 562 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:56,000 I see. 563 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,000 They hardly ever come down to the building on my day off. 564 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:00,000 Yes, sir. 565 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:01,000 How long were they in the office? 566 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,000 Oh, a couple of weeks. They wanted a place for a month. 567 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:07,000 They paid for it in advance. They told me if things worked out, they'd take a lease. 568 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:08,000 Yes. 569 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,000 I guess things didn't work out. 570 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,000 Did they leave any forwarding address? 571 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:13,000 No, they didn't. 572 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,000 What can you tell us about them? 573 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:19,000 Not much. I only talked to them a couple of times. Seemed nice enough. 574 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,000 Did they tell you what kind of business they were in? 575 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:23,000 No, said they were trying to get a new product started. 576 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:26,000 Told me most of their work would be over the phone. 577 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,000 Did they pay for the office by check or cash, you know? 578 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:30,000 Cash. 579 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:32,000 Said they didn't have their checks printed up yet. 580 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:34,000 They use the name of any kind? 581 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:35,000 I don't think I understand you. 582 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,000 Did they call each other by name? 583 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:39,000 Yeah, they did when they were looking over the office. 584 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:40,000 Do you remember them? 585 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,000 Let me think a minute. 586 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:46,000 When it comes to me, one of them was called Tom. 587 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,000 The other one was named Ralph. 588 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:49,000 No last name? 589 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,000 No, I didn't hear them. 590 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:52,000 What about the woman? 591 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,000 They called her Lerner. Remember that when they introduced her. 592 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:57,000 Nicky Lerner. 593 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,000 Has the office been clean since they left? 594 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:00,000 No, it hasn't. 595 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:01,000 All right, sir. 596 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:04,000 We'd like to have some men from our office go over the place. 597 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:06,000 Sure, glad to help any way I can. 598 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:07,000 Fine, thank you. 599 00:17:07,000 --> 00:17:09,000 Can you come downtown and look at some pictures for us? 600 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:10,000 The criminals? 601 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:12,000 Well, of some possible suspects. 602 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:13,000 See if I can pick them out, huh? 603 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:14,000 That's right. 604 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,000 Better will. Wait here, I'll get my coat. 605 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:18,000 Go right with you. 606 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:20,000 Second thought, you'd better wait in the lobby. 607 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:22,000 We can go right out the door. It'll be faster. 608 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:23,000 I'll be fine. 609 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:25,000 Let's go. 610 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:28,000 I can't hardly wait to get home and tell my wife what's happened. 611 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:32,000 She's all the time after me because I never have nothing interesting to tell her at night. 612 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:33,000 Yes, sir. 613 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:34,000 It's going to be different this time. 614 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,000 Give her a story that'll really make her mouth hang open. 615 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,000 She's going to be a dozer. 616 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:40,000 You guys could do me a favor, though. 617 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:41,000 What's that? 618 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,000 Could you drive me home after I look at the pictures? 619 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:44,000 We'll see what you get there, yes, sir. 620 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,000 I'd like you to be in a black and white car, if you can swing it. 621 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:48,000 All right. 622 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,000 Make the story more exciting, you know, heart-hitting. 623 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:51,000 Yeah. 624 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:54,000 Something else if I come home in a black and white police car. 625 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:55,000 What's that? 626 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:57,000 My wife will believe me. 627 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,000 We took the superintendent down to the city hall, but he failed to identify the suspects. 628 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:17,000 The crime lab crew went over the office they had used, but they were unable to find any useful information. 629 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,000 Another week passed. 630 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:23,000 During that time, we had reports that four of the stolen cars had been sold. 631 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,000 The circumstances in each case were the same. 632 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:30,000 In each instance, we checked out the address the suspects had used as a front without result. 633 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:33,000 Tuesday, July 5th, Frank and I walked into the squad room. 634 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:36,000 Well, it's not the same, Joe. 635 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:37,000 It's not the same at all. 636 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:38,000 It's all changed. 637 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:39,000 It has. 638 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:40,000 Sure? 639 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,000 It doesn't make any difference how you try. It just doesn't come off. 640 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:44,000 What are you talking about? 641 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:45,000 The fourth, Joe. The fourth. 642 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:46,000 The fourth, huh? 643 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:47,000 Yeah. 644 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:51,000 Remember how when we were kids they had firecrackers and them torpedo things you threw against buildings, stuff like that? 645 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:52,000 Yeah. 646 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:53,000 No more. 647 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:54,000 All they got now is sparklers. 648 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:55,000 Sparklers and them fountain things. 649 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:56,000 Is that so? 650 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:57,000 Yeah. 651 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,000 Well, they're nice. They look pretty, but it's not the same. 652 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:00,000 Mm-hmm. 653 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,000 I remember getting up on the morning of the fourth. 654 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,000 You see who the first kid in the block was to get a can in the air. 655 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,000 Real contest light. 656 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:07,000 What? 657 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:08,000 Get a can in the air. 658 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,000 You know, put a firecracker under a can, light it off. 659 00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:14,000 Real contest in our block so you could be the first one in the morning of the fourth. 660 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:16,000 Didn't you ever do that? 661 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:17,000 Yeah. 662 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:18,000 We sure did. 663 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,000 Never forget it. 664 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,000 It's not the same now. 665 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,000 Yeah, but it's a lot safer now, isn't it? 666 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:28,000 I'll get it. 667 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:30,000 Autosap Friday. 668 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:31,000 Yeah. 669 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:33,000 Mm-hmm. 670 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:34,000 That sure might be. 671 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,000 That's worth checking anyway. 672 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,000 Right. We'll be right over. 673 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:40,000 It's Mott over in forgery. 674 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:41,000 Yeah? 675 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:43,000 Just picked up a printer that had been cashed with checks. 676 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:45,000 Checked his plant, found something we might be able to use. 677 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:46,000 What? 678 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:48,000 65 pink slips. 679 00:19:55,000 --> 00:19:58,000 We went over to room 29 and met with Sergeant Hal Mott. 680 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:01,000 He told us that he and his partner had picked up a suspect on suspicion of forgery. 681 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,000 When they searched the man's home, they found a printing plant 682 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,000 where the suspect had been making up phony checks. 683 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,000 They'd also found master plates for automobile pink slips 684 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,000 and a quantity of the slips themselves. 685 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,000 Under questioning, the suspect admitted to forgeries 686 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,000 but denied any knowledge of the automobile registrations. 687 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:17,000 Frank and I took him to the interrogation room. 688 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,000 Their true name is Harry Larwill, is that right? 689 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:20,000 Yeah. 690 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:21,000 You want to tell us about those pink slips? 691 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:22,000 I don't know anything about them. 692 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:23,000 You printed them, didn't you? 693 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:24,000 I guess so. 694 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,000 Well, then don't you know? 695 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:27,000 I printed them. 696 00:20:27,000 --> 00:20:28,000 What were you going to do with them? 697 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:30,000 I did it for kicks, nothing more. For practice. 698 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:32,000 Yeah. 699 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:34,000 You think a story like that's going to stand up in court? 700 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,000 Look, I copped out to the forgery rep. Isn't that enough for you guys? 701 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:38,000 We want to know about those pinks. 702 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:40,000 I already told you. 703 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,000 How many counts did they get on you? 704 00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:44,000 I don't know, 10 or 12. 705 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,000 Well, then you know you're not going to do that stand on your head. 706 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:47,000 Hmm? 707 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,000 You'll stand 1 to 14 on each count. 708 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:51,000 A lot of time if they run consecutively. 709 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,000 Now, come on, why'd you print the slips? 710 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:54,000 What happens to me if I tell you? 711 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:55,000 What do you mean by that? 712 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:56,000 We'll make it an easier army? 713 00:20:56,000 --> 00:20:58,000 We don't decide that. 714 00:20:58,000 --> 00:20:59,000 But you see, the judge knows, huh? 715 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,000 We'll put it down like that, yeah. 716 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:03,000 Now, tell us about it, will you? 717 00:21:03,000 --> 00:21:06,000 I made them up for Tom and Ralph. 718 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:07,000 Who are they? 719 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:09,000 A couple guys I know. They come to me with this deal. 720 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,000 Said if I make them 100 slips, they give me 1,000 bucks. 721 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:13,000 I needed the money, so I did the job. 722 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:14,000 Yeah. 723 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,000 Well, after I made them, Ralph said they could only use 45 of them. 724 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:17,000 Then we had a beef. 725 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,000 He gave me 500 and I gave him the pinks. 726 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,000 You know where you can pick up your friends? 727 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:23,000 Yeah, a bar for not in Hollywood. 728 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:24,000 The girl there, too? 729 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:25,000 Who do you mean? 730 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:26,000 I understand her name's Mickey. 731 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:28,000 Oh, yeah, yeah, Ralph's wife. 732 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,000 I guess she should be around. 733 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:31,000 When did you see them last? 734 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:33,000 Yesterday. Ralph called me in the morning. 735 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:35,000 He told me they were interested in the rest of the slips. 736 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:36,000 Wanted to know if we could make a deal. 737 00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:37,000 What'd you tell them? 738 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:38,000 That we could. 739 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:40,000 I'm supposed to meet them this afternoon. 740 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:41,000 Where? 741 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:42,000 Drugstore in Sunset. 742 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,000 He told me three of them were gonna leave town. 743 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:45,000 All right. 744 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:46,000 You gonna pick them up? 745 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:47,000 That's right. 746 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,000 Guess they had a good thing going for them. 747 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,000 Sure were raking in the dough. 748 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:52,000 Yeah. 749 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:53,000 Ralph told me about it. 750 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:54,000 Said they were coining money. 751 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,000 Kind of hate to see it broken up. 752 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:57,000 You do? 753 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:58,000 Yeah. Good deal like that. 754 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:00,000 Good ones are hard to come by these days. 755 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,000 Takes a lot of time to set one up. 756 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:04,000 Break this one up, they'll have to sit down 757 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:06,000 and figure another way to make a book. 758 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:07,000 Kind of hurts to think about it. 759 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:08,000 It does. 760 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:10,000 Yeah. Good deal like that shot. 761 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:12,000 It really hurts me. 762 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,000 Think what it's gonna do to them. 763 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,000 The story you have just heard is true. 764 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:26,000 The names were changed to protect the innocent. 765 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,000 On November 10th, trial was held in Department 89, 766 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:31,000 Superior Court of the State of California 767 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,000 in and for the County of Los Angeles. 768 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:36,000 RALPH NORWOOD-PRESCOTT 769 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:41,000 RALPH NORWOOD-PRESCOTT 770 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,000 Ralph Norwood-Prescott, Thomas Dean Bolton, 771 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:46,000 and Nicky Lerner-Prescott 772 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:49,000 were tried and convicted of grand theft auto five counts 773 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:52,000 and received punishment as prescribed by law. 774 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,000 Grand theft auto is punishable by imprisonment 775 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:57,000 for a period of from one to ten years 776 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,000 in the state penitentiary. 777 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,000 Ladies and gentlemen, 778 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:03,000 careless driving is kid stuff. 779 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:05,000 Most automobile accidents happen 780 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,000 when we forget to act our age and drive carefully. 781 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:11,000 Letting off steam, defying authority, 782 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:14,000 showing off risks a driver's life 783 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,000 as well as the lives of other people. 784 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:19,000 In your car, act your age. 785 00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:26,000 The life you save may be your own. 786 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:49,000 Dragon is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service. 787 00:23:49,000 --> 00:24:08,000 The United States Armed Forces Radio Service 788 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:26,000 The United States Armed Forces Radio Service