Dragnet.
Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to burglary detail.
An organized gang of thieves is working in your city.
Their method of operation is clever and fast.
There's no lead to their identity. Your job, stop them.
It was Tuesday, May 7th. It was warm in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch out of burglary detail.
My partner is Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Bernard.
My name is Friday. We were on our way out from the office
and it was 9.46 a.m. when we got to the corner of Beverly Boulevard and Fountain Street.
The Brighton Arms Apartments.
12a, isn't it? Yeah.
Listen.
I'm going to try it again. Yeah.
Just a minute.
Yeah? Miss Anderson? Yeah, that's right.
Police officers. This is my partner Frank Smith. My name is Friday.
Oh yeah, come on in. Thank you. Thank you very much, ma'am.
Sit down. I'll put some coffee on.
All right.
That's the only way to do it, Joe.
What? Coffee grinder, here.
Oh, that's what it is, huh? Yeah.
You buy the coffee beans and you grind them up because you need the coffee real fresh.
I'm going to get Fey one of them. Great gadgets.
Yeah, I guess so. You never tasted coffee that fresh, Joe.
Whole different flavor.
If you say so. Yeah.
Wait till I get Fey one. You'll be asked over for the first pot of coffee.
That's nice.
You got a match? Yes, ma'am. Here.
It's about the burglary, isn't it?
Yes, ma'am. A couple of questions we'd like to ask.
Go ahead. We've got the report you gave the officers last night.
Now this list of stolen property. I wonder if you'd look at it and see if it's right.
Here you are.
Diamond watch. Yeah.
Mm-hmm. The mink. Yeah, that's it.
It's the mink that's important.
It took me three years working to get that.
I hope you bring it back. Yes, ma'am. We'll try.
Have you got any ideas as to what time the theft might have occurred?
Well, near as I can figure, it must have been around midnight.
Why do you say that?
Well, I got home from work about 1130.
I'm a hostess in a restaurant downtown.
Go on, please.
Got home, the coat was still here.
I hardly ever come into the house without checking on it.
You know, it's the only real thing of value I got.
Yes, ma'am.
Well, there it was, hanging in the closet.
I went out to have a cup of coffee and pick up the papers before I went to bed.
Whoever took it must have been waiting outside.
He saw me leave and then came in.
Why do you say he?
Well, you said he must have been waiting.
Oh, I didn't mean anything special. You know, just a word.
I see.
Did you see anybody in the vicinity when you left the house?
No. Not that I can tell about now.
The corner's a pretty busy place, Sergeant.
Lots of people around there, couple of restaurants.
Always a lot of people around.
I wonder if we could see how they got in, please.
Yeah, right back here.
Here, you see, they cut the screen on the porch door and then just reached in and opened it.
Mm-hmm. Top half of the door.
You had it like this, did you?
Yeah. You see, you just put these two little things and the glass part of the door comes out.
Always take it out on warm nights.
Anything else in the apartment disturbed?
Not that I could tell.
Seems that they just went into the bedroom and took the coat.
That and the watch and the other stuff.
But it's the coat that's important.
Yes, I understand.
I mean, coat means something special.
I told you it took me three years of saving before I could buy it.
It's a long time to do without things, Sergeant.
An awful long time.
Yes, ma'am.
I only had the coat three days and this happens.
Just three days.
Hardly even had a chance to wear it.
Is the coat insured?
I think so.
Ma'am.
Well, I just got it. I think it's insured.
I have to check with the salesman.
I told him I wanted the coat covered.
Boy, I just hope it's in effect.
Beautiful coat. Just beautiful.
Silver blue. Cost me almost $4,000.
Come right down to it. That's about $1,000 a day.
We have the serial number here for the watch.
Is there any way you could identify the coat for us?
Certainly. All I have to do is look at it. I can tell.
Well, yes, ma'am.
But is there any mark, any type of label that would help us in identifying?
Oh, yeah. I see what you mean.
Well, there's a store label. You could tell by that.
Oh, that's probably one of the first things that thieves will do.
Well, I suppose so.
Well, there's my initials. They can't get those out.
Ma'am.
I got my initials on some of the pelts.
Had it done when I got the coat.
Had it marked right on the skins under the lining.
My initials. J.A. You could be able to tell from that.
Could you draw the initials for us?
Yeah. Wait a minute. I'll get a piece of paper.
Here, Miss Anderson. You can use this.
Oh, thanks.
Here's a pencil.
Okay.
But you see, it's sort of like this.
J.A.
Like that.
Would you draw the coat and show us where the initials are?
Sure. You see, here's the sleeves.
Then the body part comes down like this.
The hems here. And the initials are right there.
All right, Miss Anderson. This is exactly how the initials are.
Oh, there goes the coffee. Can I give you a cup?
No, thanks. No, thanks.
Well, excuse me a minute, huh?
Yes, ma'am.
Do you really think you're going to get it back?
We're going to try.
Did the men who were here last night get any clothes?
Beg your pardon?
The men who were here last night, did they find anything that had helped?
Not a great deal, no, ma'am.
I sure hope they find my coat.
I just hate to think about it.
What's that mean?
All that time.
Three years working to save for a coat.
Then just to have it three days.
You know how the models in the magazines kind of drag a mink coat along the ground?
You know, sort of over their shoulders?
Yes, ma'am. I do.
Well, I just had it three days, you know.
Yeah.
I didn't even learn how to do that.
The
reports of similar burglaries had been coming into the office for the past six weeks.
In each one, the method of operation was similar enough to let us know that we were dealing with the same thieves.
All of the homes that were prowled were residences.
The owners of the houses were always absent.
Entrance to the places was made through a rear window.
In those cases where the window was open, the screws were pulled out of the door.
The window was locked, the pane of glass was broken, and the entrance made that way.
The classification of goods stolen was also the same in all of the burglaries.
Pieces of jewelry, whatever money was found, and fur coats.
The only room prowled was the one where the fur coats were kept.
None of the valuables in the rest of the house would be touched.
Bulletons had been gotten out to all of the pawn shops in the area on the stolen pieces, but there had been no replies.
The MO had been checked by the stats office and the police.
The possibilities that they came up with were checked out.
They failed to come up with a suspect.
The investigation of the crime lab on the scene had produced no tangible evidence.
Frank and I had gone over the burglar reports time and time again, trying to find something that would tie the thefts together.
None of the victims were acquainted with each other.
They all lived in different parts of the city.
The coats were bought from different retailers, and yet within a week of the time the coat was purchased, it would be stolen.
Friends of the victims were checked.
In most instances, we found that they didn't even know the victim had been in possession of the article stolen.
On the night of May 6th, another burglary was reported.
Among the stolen articles were a mink stole and a full-length natural mink coat.
The coat had been purchased only three days before the theft.
The victim had worn it in public only twice.
After going over the physical evidence at the scene and talking with the woman, we were no further than we had been.
Saturday, May 11th, Frank and I checked into the office.
Another one that doesn't go anyplace.
You want to get the reports out?
Yeah. You know, Joe, there's got to be something to tie them all together, something in common.
Well, if we come up with that, maybe we got the answer.
You see the bunch down at Chief Brown's office when we came in?
Yeah.
I recognize one of them.
Yeah, who?
Insurance man.
They'll most likely be down here when they get through talking to Chief Brown.
What's the figure the thefts have cost him?
A little under $47,000.
You stand at kind of loss, you'd do some yelling too, wouldn't you?
Suppose.
Funny none of this stuff's turned up.
Well, it isn't doing them any good unless they sell it.
I get it.
Burgary Friday.
Yeah, it is.
What's your name?
What?
Where are you now?
All right.
Now, we'll be right over.
Right.
Well, maybe we got one.
Yeah?
A woman.
Says she wants to talk to us about a stolen fur coat.
The woman gave the name of Wilda Chandler.
She said that she had some information for us and asked us to meet her in a bar at the corner of St. Andrew's Place in Las Palmas Avenue.
It took us 23 minutes to get there.
See her?
No, we'd better ask the bartender.
Yeah.
Yeah?
Is there a Miss Chandler here?
Chandler?
That's right.
She just called.
Said to meet her here.
Might be her in the back booth.
Didn't give no name.
Back booth.
Thank you.
Hey, women.
Yeah?
If it's her, your friend, will you do me a favor?
What's that?
Try to get her out of here.
What do you mean?
Get her out of here.
All she's been doing is sitting back there playing that song, playing the song, ordering doubles.
We ain't got a girl in here this time of the morning.
I gotta carry the orders back to her.
Got a lot of other stuff to do.
I will see about it.
If you can't get her out, at least talk her into sitting up here at the bar.
Says I don't have to walk.
Yeah, sure.
Thanks.
Miss Chandler?
Sit right down, boys.
Been expecting you.
This is my partner, Frank Smith.
My name's Friday.
I just bet you.
Glad to meet both of you.
Talked to you on the phone, didn't I?
Yes, ma'am.
Never forget a name.
I bought a drink for you two boys.
No, ma'am.
Thank you.
Cheers.
Thank you.
I should have a couple.
Seems to make everything a lot better.
I may have several more.
You said something about some information on some stolen fur coats, that right?
Yeah, and I got it.
Old Max, he's gonna be sorry.
Old Max?
Hear that on the jukebox?
Melancholy mood.
Hear it?
Yes, ma'am.
Our song.
Is that right?
You just betcha.
Old Max, our song.
Partner that goes, gone, gone, gone, gone.
Old Max, our song.
Gone is every joy and inspiration.
Tears are all I have to show.
No consolation.
Old Max left me, tears in his fur coat.
Uh-huh.
Who's Max?
You fell sure you don't want a drink?
No, ma'am.
Old Max, just the tears in the coat.
See?
This is it.
What do you think of it?
Very pretty.
That's all right.
It's a lousy coat and you know it.
You want to tell us about the stolen coats, please?
Yeah, I've been working for Max almost two months and I just found out.
You think that's pretty dumb, huh?
Well, maybe if you'd tell us about it.
Two months.
Matter of fact, I just got the message last night, Friday, May 10th, 1.22 a.m., if you
want to be exact.
That's when I got the message about old Max.
Now, look, Miss, you called us and said that you had some information on some coats.
And I wonder if you'd be kind enough to tell us about it.
You just betcha.
Would you put this in the jukebox for me?
Play number B.
Seven, huh?
Yes, ma'am.
B.
Seven, huh?
Yeah, melancholy mood.
Old Max and my song.
You know what?
These are no good.
A real no good.
This Max, has he got something to do with the burglaries?
You just betcha.
Old slick Max.
He's a pistol.
Yeah.
Say, how about a drink?
No, thank you.
I didn't mean for you, for me.
Suppose you tell us about Max and the furs, would you please?
If that's the way you want it.
Max is a thief.
Yes, ma'am.
Oh, you know him?
I don't know.
A thief.
Worked for him two months, even thinking about marrying him.
All the time he's a thief.
What's Max's last name?
Barrett.
Thanks for playing the song.
It's real nice.
That's B.
Seven.
What about this Max?
Tell me how I was gonna wear mink, and this is what I end up with.
Now, look, Miss Chandler, if you have some information for us we want to hear, but we
haven't got time to sit here and keep you company.
You think it's all a gag, huh?
You just think I'm lonely, so I called you.
That's what you think, isn't it?
Why don't you tell us?
Well, it isn't a gag.
I can tell you all about the coats, all about them.
Yes, ma'am, that's why we're here.
Would you go ahead?
Well, I'm a hat checker on a restaurant out in the country.
It's a good racket.
Got the job about three months ago.
Doing real well at it.
Then I meet this Max two months ago.
Old Max walks in.
Yes, ma'am.
Gives me the big pitch.
Now he thinks I'm so pretty, all that kind of stuff, you know?
Go ahead.
Well, he really piles it on.
Now he's got a big deal cooking, and as soon as it comes through, him and me is going to
get married.
Tells me that while he's waiting for the deal to gel, he's selling insurance.
Old Max selling insurance.
Pretty funny, huh?
Well, he tells me that the hardest thing about selling insurance is the contacts, you know,
getting to meet the people who need it.
Contacts.
Yeah.
And that's where I come in.
You see, old Max, he doesn't sell insurance on people, not like on their lives.
He doesn't sell that kind.
He sells what they call personal property insurance on things like rings and coats, stuff like
that.
You with me?
Yes, ma'am, so far.
Go ahead.
Well, he tells me that if I'll help him with his contacts, he'll cut me on his percentage.
Says all I have to do is tell him when some woman comes in with a new coat, her name and
address, and you know, go see her and make the sale.
Gets me simple.
All I gotta do is get the names and addresses.
Did you do it?
Sure.
How dumb can you get?
I gave him the names and addresses.
I knew there was something wrong.
Can you tell us what names you gave him?
I got every one of them.
Got them at home.
You can have them.
Why did you find out he wasn't an insurance salesman?
Last night, 1 22 a.m., I wasn't feeling so good, so I took off from work.
Went by his place.
Old Max was just coming in.
Got the car parked out by his garage.
The backseat is loaded with fur coats, all kind of other stuff, watches, jewelry.
That's when I knew he was a no good.
Old Max, a pistol, a real no good.
Yes, ma'am, what happened?
I asked him about the stuff, where he got it.
Yeah?
He told me all about it.
How he'd been stealing, how all the names I'd been giving him were his sucker list.
How as soon as I'd given him the information, he'd lift the stuff.
All that time.
Two months, and I figured he was an insurance salesman.
You know what he's doing with the coats?
What?
Well, is he selling them?
Sure.
He's got a regular order business.
You call up and order a blue mink coat.
Maybe you want a platinum stole.
Just call Max, you'll have it.
Is he disposing of it here in L.A.?
Not old Max.
He's too smart for that.
Ships of stuff, he's got it.
Ships of stuff east.
Is that right?
Didn't I just tell you it was?
You just betcha.
Max gets an order, and he goes out and he felt it.
Then he gets ahold of some young kid and offers him a trip to the east.
Maybe Chicago, Detroit, New York.
Wherever the delivery's supposed to be made.
Gives the kid a plane ticket and sends him on the way.
The carrier know what he's doing?
Oh, no.
Max just gives him a suitcase and tells him where to deliver it.
How'd you find out about the operation setup?
Old Max, he told me.
Said that since I found out, he'd have to cut me in.
Gave me all a scoop.
Barrett ever been arrested?
I don't know, maybe.
Any close friends in town, do you know?
I guess.
Never saw none of them myself.
You want to show us where he lives?
Sure.
I want to see him get his after the way he lied.
Ain't nothing too bad for him.
Old Max, a pistol.
He sell all the stolen goods?
What do you mean?
Well, do you know where the stolen coats are and the rest of the things?
Must be in his apartment.
Can't think of any other place it'd be.
Got to be there.
Do you know if he's there now?
He should be.
He don't ever get up before noon.
He should be there.
I just want to see you get him.
Lousiest trick in the world, what he did to me.
Yeah, what's that?
Oh, that time he was stealing those coats.
All that beautiful mink.
Look at this.
Yes, ma'am, that's a very pretty coat.
I thought so, too.
Take a close look.
Old Max gave it to me to show he was on a level.
Take a good look.
Yeah?
All that mink and he gives me rabbit.
Before we left the bar, we put in a call to R&I asking if Max Barrett had a police record.
The office told us that there was none in our file.
We asked that a teletype be sent to George Brereton at the C.I.I. office up in Sacramento.
We also had the name Wilda Chandler checked.
She had no record in Los Angeles.
1120 A.M. We got Barrett's address from the Chandler woman and then we called a radio car.
The officers took her to the city hall where she could make a full statement.
Frank and I drove over to Barrett's apartment.
Wilda Chandler had told us that the suspect drove a late model Pontiac sedan.
We found the car parked in the garage in the rear of Barrett's address.
A preliminary search of the garage and of the car failed to turn up any evidence of the thefts.
1146 A.M. Frank and I went up to see Barrett.
I'll get it.
Probably still asleep.
Who is it?
I'd like to see you.
Just a minute.
Yeah?
You Max Barrett?
Yeah, who are you guys? What do you want?
Police officers. We'd like to talk to you.
Get out!
Hold it, Mr. Hart!
All right, now come on. On your feet, Barrett.
This is all about anyway. What are you guys doing breaking in here like this?
You want to check the closets, Frank?
Right.
You got no right to come in here and do this. What are you looking for? I got nothing to hide.
You didn't act that way when we came in, did you?
How'd I know you were real cops? You read all our time in the papers.
Our guys say they're cops and then break in and rob people. That's what I thought you were.
You told me cops.
We showed you our identification, didn't we?
Well, how'd I know it was real?
I've never been mixed up with the law before. How'd I know you were really cops?
How about it? The place is clean.
Sure, it's clean. What'd you expect to find?
Come on, get dressed. We're taking you downtown.
For what?
We want to talk to you.
Any talking you got to do, do it here. I'm not going anyplace with you.
You just keep believing that, mister. Now get your clothes on. Come on.
What are you arresting me for?
Suspicion of burglary.
Are you serious?
Get dressed.
Okay, you take me in. Book me.
But you're going to be in real trouble, cop, because there's one big problem.
Yeah?
You can't prove it.
Twelve ten p.m.
We called the office and arranged for a stakeout on Barrett's apartment in the event any of his associates contacted him.
We asked his landlady about his friends.
She told us that as far as she knew, the suspect was an insurance salesman.
She said that he told her that because of his type of business, it would be necessary for him to keep late hours,
and that he didn't want to be disturbed during the day.
We searched his apartment and his garage, but we were unable to turn up any of the stolen merchandise.
We took him down to the city hall and got off all station radiograms with special attention to the police departments in Chicago, Detroit, and New York,
giving them descriptions of the suspect and of the stolen property.
We asked that their pawn shop details check the outlets in their cities.
Three fifteen p.m.
We had Barrett brought to the city hall and we talked to him in the squad room.
Okay, you made the boo-boo. Now how are you going to get out of it?
What do you mean?
Well, you've had the chance to check my record. You know I'm clean.
How are you going to get out and have me sue you?
You got a job?
Yeah.
Where do you work?
I'm an insurance salesman.
What's the name of your company?
Me want that for.
We want to talk to them.
I don't want you calling them. They'll find out I'm down here. Before I get a chance to tell them about it, I'll lose my job.
You kind of got this thing a little mixed up, haven't you?
What do you mean?
You've been trying to sell us how innocent you are all morning, yet every time we ask a question, you give us a smart answer.
Now, if you haven't got anything to hide, why don't you come off it and tell us the truth for a change?
I'm doing that.
When?
What company you work for?
I'm not going to tell you.
There's a rate book we found in your car.
This is the one? Great Southwestern Life, that it?
Why don't you call them and find out?
We did. They say they never heard of you.
Then it isn't them, is it?
What are you doing with the rate book?
That illegal, too?
Where'd you get it?
A friend of mine. I like to check the prices of other companies, keep abreast of things.
What's a friend's name?
You know I'm not going to give you that.
Hey, who put you onto me anyway?
You said it yourself. We're not going to tell you.
Better was that Wilder broad.
Who?
Who's playing cozy now? Wilder Chandler. She's the one who told you to pick me up, isn't she?
Does she have a reason to do that?
She might think so.
Why don't you tell us about it?
I tried to help her out, give her the chance to earn some extra money.
Told her I'd give her five bucks for every prospect she turned over to me who bought some insurance.
And it worked good for a while.
Then she started boozing it up. Got to be a real lush. Couldn't trust her anymore.
She was giving me a list of bad names, making them up. I had to get rid of her.
Now?
Gave her a coat and called it quits.
How about these names she gave you? You got a copy of them?
No. Turned out they weren't any good, so I threw them away.
Frank?
Yeah? You got that list?
Yeah, here you go.
Listen to these. See if they sound like the people Willda told you about.
Pauline Mannell, Myrtle Briggs, Mrs. Mildred Carlson, Miss Jane Anderson, Alice Beckworth.
How about it? You recognize any of them?
She's the one, isn't she? Lousy bus. She's the one who told you, isn't she?
Recognize the names?
Yeah.
Every one of those people have had a burglary in their house in the last month.
There's a lot more names. Why don't you cop out and tell us the truth?
I got nothing to say until I see a lawyer.
Joe, see you in a minute.
Yeah, I'll send right away.
What do you got?
Kid says his name's Jim Nelson. Picked him up out of Barrett's place.
Anything on him?
Suitcase. Here it is. A couple of fur coats inside of him.
What about Nelson?
Checked him. Got a record listing of two burglary arrests, one conviction.
Where's he now?
Got him over in an interrogation room.
Who's with him?
Rubel.
Any trouble?
No. Walked in and we took him. Says he wants to see Barrett. Thought maybe you'd want to talk to him first.
Yeah, I do. Be right back, Frank.
Okay.
Let's go.
Anything on the coats?
Haven't had a chance to check them yet. Brought the Nelson kid right in.
Anybody out of Barrett's now?
Yeah, we called the team before we left.
Okay, thanks. I'll call you.
Right.
Hi, Rubels.
Thanks.
Post an outie down the hall if you need anything, Joe.
Right, thank you.
Your name Nelson, is that right?
Yeah.
Where'd you get the suitcase?
Barrett gave it to me.
When?
Couple of days ago. I was supposed to take it to Detroit.
What happened?
I didn't make it. Got to thinking about how I was willing to pay my expenses back there just to take the suitcase.
Got to wondering what was so important. Opened the suitcase and when I saw what was in it, I didn't want any part of it.
Tried to give it back to him. Cops picked me up.
You know where he got the coats?
No, I don't want to. Anytime a guy's willing to pay expenses back, he's just to deliver a suitcase. There's something foamy about it.
I want no part of the action. You know I got a record. I only stood one conviction. I'm trying to keep clean.
You got Barrett here now?
That's right.
You gonna hold him?
Yeah.
I'd like to see him for a minute.
Why?
I'd like to tell him what I thought about the deal he tried to pull. Telling me how he was my friend. All the time getting me to carry the stuff for him.
Can you fix it up so I can see him?
Yeah. Come on.
You gonna be able to nail him?
Will will now.
You imagine a guy would pull a stunt like that on his friends. A guy would do that, do about anything.
Yeah. You willing to testify about how Barrett gave you the suitcase?
I sure am. I want to see him nailed good.
Barrett?
Yeah?
Turn around here. His friend of yours wants to see you.
What are you doing here?
Thought I'd be in Detroit by now, didn't you, Max?
Just keep your mouth shut. They got nothing on us.
Watch him while I get the suitcase, Frank.
Yeah.
How about it? You ever see this bag before, Barrett?
He should. He gave it to me.
Beautiful coat here. Let's take a look at the lining, shall we?
I don't know anything about those. The guy sold them to me. I don't know where they came from.
How about it? It's right there. Initials J.A.
You want to tell us now, Barrett?
Barrett?
Lousy kid. I should have known better than to trick you. Come on, let him go. Let him go. I'll bust his munch.
Sit down, Barrett.
Oh, kid. Going good until he stuck his nose into it. All going good. How lousy can a deal get?
Well, I wouldn't worry about it.
What?
You're going to find out.
The story you have just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent.
On September 18th, trial was held in Department 97, Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the County of Los Angeles.
Max Rudolph Barrett was tried and convicted of burglary in the first degree, four counts, and received sentence as prescribed by law.
Burglary in the first degree is punishable by imprisonment in the state penitentiary for a period of not less than five years.
His associates in the burglary ring were tried and convicted of receiving stolen property, which is punishable by imprisonment in the state penitentiary for a period of not more than ten years.
Because of the cooperation she gave authorities in apprehending the suspects, Wilda Noreen Chandler was released from custody.
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