Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true.
The name has been changed to protect the innocent.
Dragnet.
You're a detective sergeant.
You're assigned a bunko fugitive detail.
A confidence man has set up operations in your city.
The product he's selling has a ready market.
Perfect cut blue-white diamonds.
Your job, stop him.
Was Tuesday, November 9th.
It was warm in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch out of bunko fugitive detail.
My partner's Frank Smith.
The boss is Captain Didion.
My name's Friday.
I was on my way back from the record division and it was 1140 a.m. when I got to room 38.
Bunko detail.
Did a check on?
Yeah, there's three possibles.
Descriptions don't match too well.
We left check them all out again.
Uh-huh.
The better with Justin.
Said he'd give us a hand.
That's good.
Should we get on it?
Yeah.
Any calls?
No.
Let's go.
I got it.
Bunko fugitive Friday.
Yeah.
Yes, ma'am.
Hmm?
Well, I'm not sure.
No, the officer that handled the case isn't here right now.
I wonder if I could take a message.
Yes, ma'am.
He'll call you when he gets in.
All right.
Uh-huh.
Yes.
All right.
If you'll wait just a minute, I'll transfer it just a minute.
Hold on, please.
Would you give this call to 2949, please?
Thank you.
Oh, excuse me.
Yes, sir.
This is the fraud department?
Was Bunko fugitive?
Yes, sir.
Then I guess this is what I want.
I'd like to report a swindle.
All right, sir.
I'll check with the better, Joe.
You can go to work on this list.
Right.
I'll be right back.
Okay.
Want to come in, sir?
Sit down right here if you like.
Okay.
Well, where'd be the best place to start?
Would you like to give us your name, sir?
Terrell Pilsen.
That's with an F. F-I-L-S-O-N Pilsen.
Yes, sir.
What I want to tell you about happened to a friend of mine.
All right.
He's a little too embarrassed to commit himself, so I said I'd tell you about it.
It's a terrible thing.
It should be stopped.
All right, sir.
We'll do what we can.
You want to tell us what it's all about?
Well, this friend of mine was in the bank one day.
He'd gone in to make withdrawal, a couple of hundred dollars.
I see.
On the way out of the place, this kind of seedy-looking man came up to my friend and
started to talk.
Did your friend know the man?
Never saw him before in his life.
All right, sir.
Go ahead.
Well, this little guy said he had a business proposition to put to my friend.
Said they could both make a lot of money out of it.
Mm-hmm.
Little guy suggested that they both walk down the street to a little coffee stand, just
there, and have a cup of coffee.
My friend didn't see anything wrong with that, so they did.
That's where the little guy told the story.
What was that, sir?
Oh, about how he was a D.P.
You know, a displaced person.
Mm-hmm.
Said he'd come over from Belgium.
Big story about how he just managed to get out of Germany with his life.
Really laid it on thick.
Real thick.
Mm-hmm.
That's when he pulled a snapper.
Said that he'd gotten into the country illegally.
But he didn't have any paper, and that's why he came to my friend.
All right, sir.
Go ahead.
Man, you see, this little guy reached into his pocket, took out a couple of pieces of
folded paper.
He undid them, and there were four diamonds.
Most beautiful things you ever saw.
Mm-hmm.
Well, I want to say that since he was in the country without a passport, he couldn't take
the chance of trying to sell the diamonds, said he might be picked up.
So he wanted to sell the stones to my friend.
Said he wouldn't have any trouble getting rid of them.
Well, how much did he want for them, do you know?
Said he'd sell a lot for $13,000.
That's quite a bid, isn't it?
Yeah.
Especially when his friend of mine doesn't know anything about diamonds.
All right, sir.
Do you want to go ahead?
Man, the little guy said my friend could take the stones to any jeweler and have them appraised.
Said he'd go along with whatever the jeweler said.
That's what your friend did, then?
Yeah.
Went to one of the best jeweler stores in the city.
Took the stones with him and had the jeweler look at them.
Now, this little man, did he go into the store with your friend?
No, he said he'd wait outside.
Uh-huh.
Well, the jeweler looked at the stones and said they were worth $15,000.
That's wholesale.
$15,000.
So your friend bought the diamonds, did he?
Yes.
He offered the owner $10,000 cash for them.
The little guy wouldn't go for the deal, so he took the diamonds back.
They hemmed and hawed around for a couple of minutes, and then he said he'd sell.
So the both of them went to my friend's bank, got the money, and the deal was set.
The man reached into his pocket, took out the package, handed over the diamonds to the 10,000.
Then my friend tried to sell them.
He went back for the same jeweler.
That's when he found out.
Yeah?
They weren't the same stones.
My friend had gotten a different packet.
Instead of diamonds, he bought four zircons worth $25, $30 a piece.
$10,000 for $120 worth of cut grass.
Now, you've got to do something about it.
You've got to figure some way to get that money back.
All right.
You want to give us a description of the man who sold you the coins?
How'd you know?
Well, you aren't the only one who's been taken by this racket.
There have been several cases the last few months.
That's all the more reason you ought to get him.
$10,000, that's what he took me for.
That's real easy money.
Well, the only difference is the amount, isn't it?
What do you mean?
You tried to take five the same way.
I came back to the office and I filled him in on the story Harold Filson had given me.
The victim gave us a complete statement and a description of the man who victimized him.
He also gave us the address of the bank where he'd been approached.
After that, Filson was taken down to the mud room and shown photographs of known confidence
men who had used the same MO.
A local and an APB were gotten out carrying the description of the suspect as well as
a complete description of the clothes he wore and the method he used in approaching the
intended victim.
We got the name of the jeweler who had appraised the diamonds and we asked the victim if we
could keep the stones until we'd finished our investigation.
He gave us his consent and we signed a receipt for the zirconies.
One forty six p.m.
Frank and I drove out to the Hollywood area where we talked to Saul Maurice, the owner
of the jewelry store.
If you'll wait, I'll get my loot and check them for you.
We'd appreciate that.
No trouble.
Probably should have known there was something wrong when I came in here.
Average man doesn't carry $15,000 and not set diamonds around with him.
Let me see the stone.
Sure, here you are.
Take a look at these if you will.
Uh huh.
Now they're the same ones, same as the diamonds.
What can you tell us about them?
Well, they look as if they were cut in this country.
Yeah?
Why do you say that?
Facets, they're cut longer than European stones.
Oh.
Uh huh.
Now they were made in America.
Was there any way we could tell where?
No.
Whoever did it though knew what he was doing.
I remember the diamonds.
Beautiful.
You mean the real diamonds were just like these then, huh?
Yes, there was a 125 round, 2, 1 carat marquee and a 403 square cut.
You sure about the size, are you?
Reasonably, yes.
I didn't weigh them at the time, but I did use a mo gauge on them.
That's what they checked out.
You can't give us any idea then where the zircons might have come from?
No, I'm sorry.
I can give you a list of the men in Los Angeles who might have done it.
We'd appreciate it.
No trouble at all.
Now, you want to take these with you?
Yes, sir.
I don't understand.
Why would a legitimate diamond cutter make these imitations?
Well, if a person ordered them copied, there'd be no reason not to.
But often people don't like to wear genuine stones.
Occasions when good imitations do just as well.
That's what probably happened here.
I don't know.
Whoever it was probably ordered a melange lot.
The cutter went ahead with it.
Well, now the stones he brought in the first time were real, weren't they?
Yes, fine, high color, beautifully cut.
Especially this square.
I'll get those names for you.
Thank you.
Say, I wonder if you'd tell me something.
Hmm?
Well, what's that?
Well, my wife's been looking for something to clean our engagement ring.
You know, it gets dirty down the little prongs that hold the diamond.
Wonder if you could recommend something to clean it.
I'll tell you what, next time you're in the area, bring the ring in.
I'll be glad to clean it for you.
Ha.
Well, the problem there is she doesn't want to take it off, I guess.
I don't think she'd go for me taking it all day.
Well, I'll tell her to take it into the jeweler in the neighborhood.
He'll be glad to do it.
Thanks, sure, appreciate it.
No trouble at all.
Now, here's the list.
Thank you.
Sure hope you can find the man who sold the phonies.
Yes, sir, so do we.
Every time somebody gets stung buying diamonds, it makes them leery from then on.
Hard on legitimate people in the business.
Yes, sir, we can understand that.
Jewelers Alliance has been saying it for a long time.
Know your jeweler and you'll get value received.
A guy like this makes it twice as rough on honest men.
Well, that's the way it is most of the time.
Always seems like the honest ones get hurt.
Well, maybe not always.
What?
I hope it's going to work the other way this time.
3.15 p.m.
Frank and I returned to the office and got out a supplemental bulletin on the genuine
diamonds that were being used.
We checked with Captain Didion and he assigned two more officers to help us in checking out
a list of diamond cutters in the area.
The questioning took the better part of the next day and at 4.37 p.m. when we met in the
bunko squad room, we were no further ahead with the apprehension of the suspect.
During the week that followed, we continued to talk to the lapidaries in the Southland
area but they were unable to give us any leads as to who might have made the copies.
On Monday, November 22nd, we received another complaint.
An elderly woman who identified herself as Mrs. Myra Hacken told us that she'd been swindled
out of $12,000.
The story she gave us was almost identical with the one we'd gotten from Harold Filson.
The description of the suspect was the same.
Frank and I talked to the jeweler that it made the appraisal on the stones for her.
He was unable to give us any concrete information.
However, the zircons purchased by Mrs. Hacken were identical with those bought by the first
victim, Filson.
Two more weeks passed and in that time, the confidence man hit two more citizens.
The method of approach was the same.
The story he gave the victims was the same.
Nothing in the story was new.
The search for him went on.
On Wednesday, December 1st, Captain Didion called a meeting in his office.
Come in.
Sit down.
Thanks.
What's it about, Skipper?
You know what it is.
Where are you?
The diamond switch, huh?
That's it.
Going slow, Captain.
What's the score to date?
About $45,000, isn't it?
Yeah.
You know closer to the guy than when he started.
Well, we got a description.
We can't look at it.
We're doing everything we can, Captain.
We talked to all the victims, all the people in town who might know who he is.
There isn't a rumble.
He must be playing it single.
None of the usual sources know anything.
How about the money?
Anybody spending more than they can account for?
No, not that we've been able to turn.
Stats office?
They've given us a list of possible 14 of them.
They've all been checked out and none of them fit.
What about the jewelers association?
What do they got for you?
Well, they're doing all they can.
They put out a notice to all their members to be on the lookout for the guy.
Sent out a description to all the diamond cutters asking for information on the stone.
Mm-hmm.
We've had a composite drawing made of the suspect.
An MO sheet.
It's been sent to all the banks in the area.
Nothing back on it, though.
Well, what's the answer?
Got to be somewhere nailing him.
Well, we got an idea.
The odds are on the long side, I guess, but it's about the only way to wing think of.
Let's hear it.
Well, we know that the guys work in the Hollywood area pretty heavy.
Seems that most of the Marxy picks are out there.
They do business in those banks along the boulevard.
Mm-hmm.
We thought that if we could spot a couple undercover people in the banks and make it
look like they were doing business there, they might be approached.
You meant it when you said the odds were long.
How many people you figure are going to need for this?
We figure a minimum of half a dozen.
They all should be middle-aged or elderly.
Suspect doesn't seem to bother anybody under 40.
How about keeping in touch with the undercover people?
How you figure to work that?
Well, we thought we could cruise the area, work out some kind of a check system so we
know what was going on.
Mm-hmm.
Okay, I'll get in touch with Chief Brown.
Ask him to line up some officers that'll work the banks.
You better get in touch with Hollywood.
Fill them in on what you're doing.
Might ask for a couple of F cars to give you a hand in the surveillance.
Right, Skipper.
We'll get together here in the morning.
You can brief them on what you want.
How you going to work it out?
Okay.
And verify the banks, too.
Give them the set-up so there won't be any slips.
Excuse me.
Bunko Fugitive, Captain Didion.
Yeah?
Mm-hmm.
Okay, we'll send them right up.
That's right.
Do what you can.
Here's one to move on.
Bank on Hollywood Boulevard.
Head cashier says there's been a man whitering in the place for the last 30 minutes.
Yeah.
That's the description of your suspect right down the line.
The man had been detained until the next morning.
He was in the car.
The man had been detained until we got there.
We were told that the suspect had entered the bank at approximately 1140 a.m. and that
he'd been observed by the bank guard.
When the man's movements had aroused the guard's suspicions, he'd notified the cashier, and
he in turn had called us when he noticed the similarity between the suspect and our bulletin.
We asked the suspect to step out to our car so we could question him.
He appeared to have been drinking, but he was cooperative.
He got into the backseat with Frank, and we asked him to show us his wallet.
Hey, uh, my wallet.
Is there any money in it?
Well, I don't know.
Is that any of your business?
You got any money in the wallet?
Well, it might be a couple of bucks, yes.
Then again, on the other side of the fence, I might not.
All right, mister, take the money out and hand the wallet to me.
Ain't none.
I'm broke.
All right, let's have it.
Sure, I'd like to cooperate.
I always like to cooperate.
All right.
Is your true name Samuel Gerald Pugh?
That is correct.
Ever been arrested?
That gentleman is my life story.
Is that right?
It certainly is.
Many a happy hour I've spent in your main jail, delightful thing, referred to in the
pre-eth as the Graybar Hotel, you know.
Now, what was the charge?
I believe that's referred to in the trade as a 4127ALAMC.
Drunken.
Oh, no, if you don't mind, officer, rather you wouldn't put it just that way.
It sounds so completely undignified.
Completely.
What were you doing in that bank?
Then I spent a short vacation with the sheriff out in Castaigne.
Ah, that was a charming resort.
Look, what were you doing in the bank?
I've also enjoyed the hospitality of the authorities in San Francisco, Oakland, and in Beaumont,
Texas.
Now, you look, mister, we're not playing a game with you here.
You come up with some straight answers and come up with them fast.
Sir?
Yeah.
Well, I'm trying to the best of my ability to answer your questions in the order that
you present them.
Now, I'm not going to be a fool to tell you that I'm not going to be a fool to tell you
in the order that you present them.
Now, I'm still working on the initial one, you understand?
Would you like to know why I spent so much time on keeping...
Look, you know what we want to know.
We want to know why you're in that bank.
Very well, then I shall tell you.
I have spent all of this time in gathering material for retreatists on the penal colonies
in the area.
All right, all right, let's go.
Yeah.
Come on, mister, get on your feet.
Oh, here now.
Listen, I resent this treat with many, and furthermore, I intend to expose your methods
in my forthcoming book.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Realize, officer, that I've given you fair warning.
You going to book me again?
That's right.
Drunk?
We'll figure that when we get you downtown.
Well, that's all you've got.
I didn't really do it.
You can't book a man to just think about it.
Is that right?
I didn't really do it.
I'll just think about it.
What are you talking about?
What I was doing in the bank?
I'm broke and I'm hungry.
I just got into town this morning.
I arrived amid the sunshine of glorious California, broke and hungry.
So I hampered around a bit and went into the bank.
I said, maybe I'd write a little check, just enough to tide me over until I decide to accept
one of the many offers that have been offered to me.
You got any money in the bank?
Oh, that's a trivial matter.
However, inasmuch as you gentlemen are willing to accord me the hospitality of a gray bar
hotel, I shall accept with a lack of business.
That's nice.
I'm gratified that you appreciate my position.
You got any way of proving you just got in town?
Is that necessary?
Might be for you.
I shall have no trouble in supplying such verification.
I have been enjoying the hospitality of the largest state for the past three months.
I severed my connection with them two days ago.
Is that right?
It certainly is.
I, Officer, have been in jail for the past three months.
Yeah.
And boom, I'm out.
The suspect was taken to the city hall and held for further investigation.
Teletypes were sent to the authorities in Texas, and they verified the story that we'd gotten.
The suspect was booked in violation of 4127A LAMC.
The following morning, Frank and I, along with Captain Didion, briefed the police officers
chosen by Chief Brown.
We told them the suspect's MO.
We gave each of them copies of the composite drawing that had been made.
At 10.30 that morning, the plan was put into operation.
It continued through the weekend without results.
During that time, we received no new complaints regarding the confidence man.
Wednesday, December 8th, Frank and I checked into the office.
I'm gonna call Fay. Tell her what time I'll be home.
Okay. You wanna check the book while you're there?
Yeah.
I got it.
Local Fugitive, Friday.
Yeah.
Okay, where?
Yeah, we know where that is. Right. See you there.
I guess you'll have to call Fay later.
What do you mean?
Suspect. Yeah?
He's setting up a mark in a coffee shop out on Hollywood Boulevard right now.
The Call had come from one of the undercover people that we planted in the banks on Hollywood Boulevard.
The policewoman told me that a man answering the description had approached her and offered to sell her some unset diamonds.
The suspect suggested that they have a cup of coffee while he explained the deal to the victim.
After they'd reached the coffee shop, the policewoman excused herself and put in the call to us.
It took us 18 minutes to drive to Hollywood and Vine Streets and to get to the coffee shop.
When we entered the place, we could see the policewoman at one of the rear tables.
Frank and I walked back and sat down in the adjoining booth.
They'd evidently been talking for several minutes before we got there.
I don't understand my position. I don't want to have to let them go, but I have no choice.
I'm still not sure why you don't tell them yourself.
Jerry, there's some trouble about my passport. The authorities are checking it over.
If I try to dispose of the diamonds in the usual channels, there are bound to be questions. Questions I can't ask.
I'm not sure I want to be mixed up in a thing like this. I've never had any trouble with the law.
My husband would be pretty angry if he knew about this.
But there will be no trouble. None.
The reason I decided to even bother you with this is that I have seen you several times in the bank.
You look to me like a person who would understand and want to help.
That's very kind.
It is you who are being kind to even let me talk to you.
I wish I could tell you how much it means to me to be able to walk up to just anyone on the straight and talk.
To know that there is nothing to be afraid of.
This business about the passport is annoying, but it will all be straightened out.
After that, everything will be all right.
Well, can't you wait until then to sell the diamonds?
I'm afraid not. I have bills. I must pay my attorney. My family, they must be taken care of.
I need the money now.
I'm still not sure.
Kind lady, let me show you the gems. Just let me show them to you and then decide.
Has he?
Coffee, please.
Yeah, coffee. Two coffees, right away.
There. Just look at them. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful in your life?
They are nice.
These are all we were able to get out of the country.
Weeks before we left, we sold everything we owned to buy them.
You know, in Europe, diamonds are about the only thing that has a set value.
If I were to tell you the trouble we had in getting them, but that would take too long and I have already taken too much of your time.
Well, not at all. How much are you asking for them?
On the market, they are worth in American dollars at least $10,000.
Well, I could never pay that much for them.
But you would not have to.
I don't understand.
It is simple. You take them to any jeweler in the city, anyone at all. You pick him up, take the diamonds to him, ask him what they are worth.
Then come back to me and we can make the transaction.
You see what he will offer you for that. You will see that what I have said is the truth.
You can buy them for me. I will get the money I need.
Then you can sell them to the same jeweler and make handsome profit.
Go ahead, take them. I will wait for you here.
You'll trust me with them?
Certainly. I knew when I saw you in the bank I could depend on you. I trust you with my life savings.
All right, let's go.
Yeah.
Something I can do for you gentlemen?
Police officers, you are under arrest.
On what job?
Grand theft.
You must be joking.
Afraid not. Let's go.
You get everything you need at Sergeant Friday?
Yeah, thanks Margaret.
You are in with them.
I am a police officer too.
How are you going to know?
I'll take the diamonds.
Want to give us the zircons too?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Lousy deal. You're going to have to prove it, you know.
We'll take care of that.
How are you going to do it?
It shouldn't be too tough. Have the victims take a look at you.
They should give us a positive identification, shouldn't they?
Yeah, I guess so.
Where did you get the stones?
I picked them up in New York. They're real. Worth easily thirteen, maybe fourteen thousand dollars.
How about the imitations?
What about them?
Well, where did you get them?
A friend of mine got back east. His hobby is lap, you know.
Lap of dairy?
Yeah, that's it. I had him cut the zircons for them.
Do you know why you wanted them?
No, I told him it was for a joke, asking to make me six sets. All of them like the real ones.
I only had this one and one more to get rid of. Just two more and you have to tag me.
You're a rough girl.
You need me for any more, Sergeant?
No, thanks, Margaret. We'll take him in.
Yeah, I'll go on then.
Right. Thanks again.
Glad to help.
Thanks, Margaret.
Yeah, I'll see you downtown.
All right. Tell Chief Brown we'll be in to see him, will you?
Okay.
All right, mister, let's go.
Mind if I finish my coffee?
All right. Make it fast.
Okay, thanks.
What's your name?
Nathan Croner.
You ever fallen before?
A couple of times, small B's.
Where?
Midwest, Colorado, Kansas.
Big time?
Burglary. I served three years in Colorado, two in Kansas.
Touch your head and figure it this time, sure way to make it pay.
Never know, do you?
What's that?
How it's going to turn out. Take his touch, for instance.
Yeah.
Hey, you got a cigarette?
Yeah, there you go. Here.
Thanks. I got a match.
You know, this would never work if you tried it with honest people.
Is that right?
Sure. Right off, I told him I was having trouble with my passport,
even told one of them I was in the country illegally.
That's when he should have gone to the cops right then.
Mm-hmm.
Can I miss that?
What's that?
The coffee. Can I miss it?
Anyway, if every one of them didn't have a little thievery in them,
it isn't a con game in the world that would work.
You ever think of that?
Yeah, once in a while.
I hand over a bunch of diamonds.
Now, I know they're worth a minimum of $15,000,
worth that anywhere in the country.
So what happens, the mark takes them into a jeweler
and finds out they're worth that much,
and right away he's out to try to make a fast buck for himself.
He comes back, tells me they're only good for $10,000.
You see? Thieves.
You about finished with that coffee?
Yeah.
Now, the mark stands to make himself a cup of $1,000 going in,
but that isn't enough.
He's gonna take me for more.
It wouldn't work if they weren't thieves at heart.
Well, that still doesn't give you the right to take them.
I suppose not.
I get a real kick though out of figuring what they look like
when they find out they're stuck with a handful of cut glass.
Must be real yaks to see that look.
I know. How about that coffee? Come on, let's go.
Yep.
Okay, I'm with you.
All right.
You fool this dodge, anyplace else in the country?
Not me. It's the first place.
Figured if I scored good here, I could take it easy.
You know, work a bit, maybe once a year in a different city.
Keep moving.
Don't make any difference how they talk
or what kind of clothes they wear.
A mark still a mark.
I just had a bad deal.
Going good, I could have lived off of it for years.
That's what you wanted, huh?
Yeah, just a deal to keep me enclosing for a roof over my head.
Nothing big.
Well, it all worked out then, didn't it?
What?
That's what you're going to get. Come on.
The story you have just heard is true.
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
On April 15th, trial was held in Department 98,
Superior Court of the State of California,
in and for the County of Los Angeles.
Nathan Austin Kroner was tried and found guilty
on four counts of grand theft
and received punishment as prescribed by law.
Grand theft is punishable by imprisonment
for a period of not more than one year in the county jail
or for a period of not less than one
nor more than ten years in the state penitentiary.
Dragnet, the story of your police force in action
is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.
The story of your police force in action
is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service
Radio Service.
The story of your police force in action
is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.