Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Dragmits.
You're a detective sergeant.
You're assigned to robbery detail.
You've been looking for a suspect in a market robbery for three weeks.
Finally, an informant calls you with information.
Your job, check it out.
Was Tuesday, February 17th.
It was cold in Los Angeles.
We were working the day watch out of robbery detail.
My partner is Frank Smith.
The boss is Chief of Detective Stad Brown.
My name's Friday.
We were on our way out from the office and it was 1056 by the time we parked our car
and got to 4278 Winona.
The Balamese room.
Hi Joe, Frank.
Van, how's it going?
I'm walking around, about all I can expect.
Sit down.
Thank you.
Get you anything?
No, no thanks.
Just made a fresh pot of coffee in the back.
Like the cup?
Yeah, I might go for one.
How about you, Frank?
Sure, I'll get it.
You both take it black, don't you?
That's right.
Yeah, man.
What was it you wanted to talk to us about?
What?
I said what was it you wanted to see us about?
In just a minute, I'll be right with you.
Here, you want to take one of these cups?
Yeah, let me give you a hand there.
All right.
Here you go, Frank.
Thanks.
What do you got for us, Van?
I read in a paper a couple weeks ago where you had a stick up at that big market out
in the valley, is that right?
Yeah, Pete made it with close to $7,000.
You got anything on it?
Well, what'd the guy look like?
Well, the description we got was 28 to 30, 5'8", 5'10", 145 pounds, dark hair, dark
eyes.
And he was wearing a leather jacket and denim pants.
It was all in the paper van.
Well, it might fit then.
All except the clothes, huh?
There's been a bohunk hanging around here the last couple weeks.
He's got a roller to make a horse pretty sick.
Yeah?
The funny part is that I've seen him around here for a year and he never had two dimes
to rub together.
All of a sudden he turns up loaded.
Popping for drinks all over the place.
Loaded down with expensive watches, good clothes, everything that goes with money.
What's his name, you know?
Well, I don't know the whole thing.
I've been calling him Nick.
That's all I know.
He matches the description pretty close, huh?
All except the clothes.
Rags he's carrying now are the best.
Don't look like they come from plain rags.
Mm-hmm.
Did he come up with any kind of a story about the money?
No, I kind of hinted at it a couple of times, you know, in a joking sort of way.
I didn't want to be too nosy.
Yeah, I know.
All he says is that he met the locksmith at Fort Knox, passed it off as a big joke, said
he found the easy way to live.
Might be our man.
Do you have any close friends?
No, Joey plays a kind of solo.
He dated Madge a couple of times.
Who's Madge?
She's a waper's here.
Comes in about six.
She works the tables and back.
Mm-hmm.
Did she tell you anything about the guy?
No, I asked her, but she says they had dinner, took in a couple of clubs, then he took her
home.
Played it straight all evening.
Mm-hmm.
Kind of worried Madge for a couple of days after.
Figured she was kind of slipping a little.
You didn't say anything to her?
No, no kind of a tip-off.
Played it real straight, like I said.
Did he have a job?
Well, not so as you'd notice.
Doesn't seem to have any working hours.
Used to walk in here at all hours.
Got any other friends?
No close ones.
He'd buy drinks for anybody that was around when he was popping, but he never came in
with nobody.
He never left with anybody.
You seen him around lately?
No, not for a couple of days.
Got any idea where he lives?
No, I don't think he pads down here in the neighborhood.
How about a car?
No go.
All the time I saw him, he rode cabs, took them here and left in them.
Well, last time he left, you say where he was going?
No, just shoved off.
Said he might not be around for a couple of days and have a hot cup of Irish coffee waiting
for him when he got back.
What's Irish coffee?
Well, it's a new drink.
I got it from a friend of mine up in San Francisco.
A cup of coffee, Irish whiskey, topped with a Jolder whipped cream.
Just drank them all the time.
Yeah.
Yeah, he's got the whole place on him.
You come in some night, we got more coffee cups on the bar than glasses.
Didn't give me any idea where he was going, did you?
Well, if he threw it, I didn't hear it.
Anybody around the place you might have talked to?
Well, I can't give you no names.
Might talk to Madge.
I don't think she'll come up with anything, but you can try.
What time did you say she came in?
Six.
That's when she's supposed to check in.
Once in a while she's late, but she's supposed to have her apron on about six.
Okay, Van, thanks for the call.
We'll be back.
Now, if this Nick comes in, give us the ring.
Sure, if he's in town, he'll be back.
Yeah.
Sure, he's all the time telling me we got the best Irish coffee in town.
It's all he drinks, so it figures he'll be here to get some.
Right away I see him, I'll give you a call.
All right, thanks, Van.
I sure hope it's the guy you're after.
Yeah, so do we.
Seven, geez, a lot of money.
You can buy an awful lot with that.
Well, he better take it easy.
Yeah?
He better not hit that Irish coffee too hard.
Three weeks previously, on Monday, January 19th at 9.40 a.m., a masked man had walked
into a supermarket at the corner of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Camarillo Street and
held up the store for a total of $7,367.
The alarm had gone out immediately, but the holdup man succeeded in getting out of the
area.
All routine procedure had been followed, but it resulted in no information to put us any
closer to the thief.
Local broadcasts and APBs had been gotten out.
The description of the thief had been taken and checked through the stats office.
All leads had been followed up without result.
The phone call from the bartender appeared to be our first break in the case.
Frank and I went back to the city hall and checked the name, Nick, and the description
through the moniker, file and R&I.
There were only four possibles turned over to us.
We showed the mug shots to the bartender, but he couldn't give us an identification.
We got the home address of Madge, the cocktail waitress, and we went out to see her.
Her landlady told us that she wasn't home and that when the girl had left, she said
she'd go straight to work.
We waited for her at the bar, but after talking to her, we had no additional information to
work with.
The following morning, we began to canvas the neighborhood.
We talked to shopkeepers and store owners.
In several clothing stores, we found clerks who thought they remembered the man, but they
were unable to give us any information on him.
Late that afternoon, we talked to a jeweler.
We asked if he had a customer who might fit the description of the suspect.
Yes, sir.
It seems to me I remember a man like that.
What can you tell us about him, Mr. Hobbs?
Not much.
I bought quite a bit of merchandise.
What is it you want to know?
Could you give us his name?
I'm afraid not.
How about receipts?
Anything like that?
No, sir.
It was a cash sale.
There was no reason to take his name.
Uh-huh.
Can you give us any information on him at all?
Maybe if you could tell me what this is all about, I could help you out.
Oh, it's a police matter, Mr. Hobbs.
You must understand, Sergeant, I want to do what I can, but it's rather difficult without
knowing exactly what days you're after.
Well, we want to find a man.
Any information you have that'll help us do that will be appreciated.
I'm afraid there's nothing I can do for you.
Well, how about the things you bought?
You want the complete list?
Yeah.
How much do you buy?
I'll have to look it up just a minute.
All right, sir.
You keep a record of your sales, do you?
Yeah, I have to for tax purposes.
Just a minute.
Uh-huh.
I'm not certain of the date.
Take a minute to find.
Oh, that should take you time.
Let's see.
Yeah.
Here.
Here it is.
Bought a gold tie bar, set of cufflinks and a wristwatch.
Can you give us the description of the goods?
A plain gold tie bar, square ends.
Cufflinks were plain, sort of square design, no relief work.
How about the watch?
A Patek Philippe, solid gold.
Anything about the watch that would make it easier to identify?
No.
You got a record of the case, a movement number?
Mm-hmm.
You want that?
Might help.
Yeah, I can get it for you.
All right, fine.
How do you pay for this merchandise?
In cash.
Yes, sir.
But what about the denominations of the bills?
Would you remember what they were?
I'm sorry, Sergeant, I can't help you.
That was a while ago and I don't remember.
Is there anything at all about the man that might help us identify him?
An accent, maybe?
Way walk, way dress.
No.
He was well dressed, conservative.
Well, except the tie.
That was rather jarring.
What, sir?
He had on a dark flannel suit, button-down collar, black shoes.
Everything went together except the tie.
It was bright red.
What about his speech?
Was there anything there?
Not that I remember.
Nothing else about it?
No, sir.
Well, all right, Mr. Hobbs, I'm gonna leave one of our cards with you.
If you think of anything else, we'd appreciate a call.
Mm-hmm.
Ask for you, Mr. Prady.
Oh, either me or Frank Smith here.
All right, if I think of anything.
If you'll get the numbers on the watch for us, please.
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot.
Say, there is something.
Yeah, sir?
When he bought the new watch, he was wearing one.
Uh-huh.
Asked me if I'd give him anything for it, wanted to trade it in.
Yeah.
I told him it wasn't worth anything to me.
Suggested he'd try to sell it to a secondhand store.
Yeah.
He said he'd seen the last of Hock's shops.
Said if I didn't want to buy the watch, he'd make me a gift of it.
Well, did you take it?
He left it here.
You still have it?
I think it's still in the back.
I got a box of old parts.
His watch might be in there.
What if you'd mind checking that, sir?
Yeah, in just a minute.
Let's see if I can find it.
Mm-hmm.
What do you think?
I don't know.
It might be something.
I don't know what to do for a break.
Yeah.
We gonna tag the office after this?
Yeah, I guess.
You gonna go home for dinner?
No, not tonight.
They's got the girls from the bridge club coming over.
I thought I'd go by Allen Lum's, get some shrimp and lobster.
You wanna go with me?
Where?
Allen Lum's.
Oh, yeah.
Good lobster player.
Sure, I'll go with you.
In here.
Here it is.
The watch is in here now, some place.
What kind of a watch is it, sir?
Off brand.
It should be here some place.
Let this one here.
Broken, huh?
Let me see.
Oh, yeah.
Why?
I don't know.
Nothing special.
Kind of nice looking.
If it worked, we might be able to make a deal.
If I sold you that one, I'd be in jail tomorrow, sure.
Oh, wait a minute.
Here.
Here it is.
This is it?
Yes, sir.
Well, now, is there anything about the watch that would make it possible to tell where it
was bought?
No, sir.
It's a cheap brand.
Most of the drugstores in town carry them.
Uh-huh.
What if you mind if we take it with us?
We'll give you a receipt.
That won't be necessary.
I trust you.
We appreciate it, Mr. Howes.
We'd better give you a receipt.
Well, all right.
I'll get the book.
Oh, I just thought of something.
It might not work, but it's worth a try.
Yes, sir.
What's that?
Just a minute.
Yeah.
He did.
Sir?
He had the watch repaired at one time or another.
You see here?
Let me see.
I don't believe I see what you mean.
Well, here.
See the initials there and the numbers?
It's R.J. 10567.
Yeah.
That's the initials of a watcher's family worked on the watch.
That should make it pretty simple, shouldn't it?
Yes, sir.
It'll help.
Yeah, simple.
All you have to do is find R.J. and get the name of the man who had work number 10567.
He should be able to give you the name of the man you're looking for.
Simple.
Yes, sir.
It's not quite that easy, but it's a place to start.
We left the jeweler and we went back to the office.
We checked the phone book for watch repairmen with the possible initials of R.J.
Frank got on one phone and I got on another.
It was a long chance that the watch had been bought and serviced in Los Angeles.
We went through the watch repair companies where the initials we were looking for, and
then we started at the top of the list of jewelry concerns.
I see.
That's right, sir.
Thank you very much.
I'll call the information we have.
Yes, sir.
Thanks a lot.
Goodbye.
No, I wouldn't be able to tell you anymore.
Bye.
Bye.
I got nothing.
Well, we better get on or we're going to have to wait until tomorrow.
520.
Most of the place is closed in a few minutes, so let's stay with it.
Yeah.
It's getting so I can't see the numbers on this dial anymore.
Oh.
This is Sergeant Friday, Los Angeles Police Department.
Hello.
Yes, sir.
This is Officer Frank Smith.
No, there's nothing wrong.
Do you have a watch repairman who uses the initials RJ?
Why don't you give me some information?
No, that's RJ.
Yes, sir.
Do you have a watch repairman who uses the initials RJ?
No, sir.
No, we're looking for information.
That's all.
RJ is in Jane.
And we'd like nothing at all.
Yes, ma'am.
All right, sir.
Thank you.
I'll wait.
Bye.
Thank you.
I'll hang on.
Nothing here.
I don't know.
Maybe we got a dead end.
Yeah.
She's gone to look here.
I see.
What's that?
Hello, this is Sergeant Friday, Los Angeles Police Department.
Wait a minute, will you?
Hey, hold it, Joe.
I got one.
Just a minute, please.
Could you hold on a minute?
Yeah, that's right.
This is Frank Smith.
Hang on a minute.
I got one.
This is Frank Smith, robbery detail.
Can you tell me who gave you the work number?
No, can you tell me who you gave the work number 10567 to?
That's right, 10567.
Yes, sir, I'll hang on.
I got a guy now.
He's checking it.
Does it look good?
Well, might be.
Place down on 5th, West 5th.
Well, I'll let this one go for me.
Yeah.
Hello, sir.
Yeah, that's right, sir.
Well, I'll call you back.
567.
No, it's nothing important, sir.
Who?
Well, I may call back.
I mean...
Do you have an address for him?
Yes, sir.
Thank you very much.
I see.
Do you remember him at all?
Mm-hmm.
Well, thanks very much.
We'll get in touch with you.
Well, according to this guy, the watch was brought in by Mike Langley.
Well, maybe we know who we're looking for now.
Well, there's another problem, though.
Yeah.
There's no address on Langley.
We checked the name Langley through R&I,
but without any description to work with,
there was little chance that we'd find anything.
We checked the description on the arrest reports
against that of our suspect,
and we ruled out all the possibles that we came up with.
We checked the name in the phone book, but we found no listing.
We checked the city directory without result.
6.15 p.m.
We got in touch with the utility companies
and asked them to check their records.
They told us they'd call us back by the next morning with the information.
Wednesday, February 18th, 9.12 a.m.
Frank and I were in the squad room.
I got it.
Robbery Friday.
Yes, that's right.
Mm-hmm.
Okay. Yeah, go ahead.
Mm-hmm.
2647 Gilbert.
That's G as in George, I-L-B-E-R-T.
Yeah. Okay. Uh-huh.
Well, how long have they had that service?
Uh-huh. Right, you betcha.
Thanks very... Friday.
Yes, right. Thanks very much.
They came up with it, huh?
Yeah, looks real good here.
Service started on Friday, January 16th.
Yeah.
Two days before the robbery.
9.52 a.m.
We made another check at R&I, and then we left the office.
We drove out the Hollywood Freeway, turned off at Vermont,
and drove over to Gilbert.
2647 was the last unit in the Spanish-style court.
Frank covered the back of the place,
and I went up and rang the doorbell.
The door was opened by a woman in her late 20s.
She identified herself as Mrs. Pearl Langley.
We asked about her husband. She told us he was at work.
Frank and I got the address and drove over to the place.
Frank Langley was a fry cook in a small restaurant on Spring Street.
We took him back into the manager's office, and we talked to him.
He matched the description of the suspect very close.
You're way off base.
Well, maybe you can tell us where you were on Saturday, January 17th, huh?
Sure. I was home helping Pearl.
We just moved into the new place the day before.
I was giving her a hand getting things straightened out.
What about Sunday, the 18th?
I worked. Here?
It's the only job I've got.
What about Monday, the 19th?
Same deal. You were here.
That's right. What time do you come to work?
I get in about 6.30, line things up in the kitchen.
We open at 7.30.
You're pretty sure of where you were on the 19th, huh?
Positive.
Any special reason, you're so sure?
What do you mean?
Well, any reason you'd remember you were working on that day?
Nothing besides I haven't missed a day since I took the job.
When was that?
About a year and a half ago.
You'd have to check with the boss.
He'd have a record of what days you were here, huh?
That old skim flimmy's got a note on every minute I was in the kitchen.
He'll probably tell you how many eggs I fried since I've been cooking for him.
You want to check on that, Frank?
Yeah.
I want you to look at something here, Langley, and tell me if you know who it belongs to.
Sure. What do you got?
Right here.
It's a cheap watch. It isn't mine.
Have you ever seen it?
I don't think so.
You ever been arrested?
Why you ask that?
Have you?
No.
Never been in trouble with the police?
Not in California.
Where?
Texas.
Where in Texas?
Galveston.
What was the beef?
I was driving and they nailed me on the boulevard.
What'd you draw?
Pay to find it, ten days.
That's the only trouble you've ever had with the police?
That's it.
You sure about this watch?
Yeah.
Never saw it before?
No.
Go.
Yeah.
Be right back, Langley.
I'd appreciate it if you could step it up.
The boss is going to start docking me if I'm off much more.
Out.
What do you got?
I checked with the owner.
Looks like we're far out on this thing.
Langley was working all day the 19th.
You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action.
We contacted the authorities in Galveston and talked with officers Rex Torian and Ruben Guzman.
They told us that Mike Langley had been arrested for drunk driving.
They went on to say that he'd lived in the Beach City for several years and that until his arrest he had never been in trouble.
We brought him down to the city hall and we talked to him further.
The victims of the holdup were asked to a special show up, but although they said Langley looked quite a bit like the stick-up man, they couldn't give us a positive identification.
He was released from custody.
On Thursday, February 19th, we got a call from him asking us to come out to his home.
Frank and I left the office and drove to the Gilbert Street address.
We met Langley and his wife.
You met my wife Pearl, didn't you?
Yes, sir, we did.
We met yesterday.
Now what do you want to see us about, Langley?
Sit down.
Can I get you anything?
A cup of coffee?
No, thank you, ma'am.
I hate to bring you guys out here, but I want to get this thing cleared up.
Yes, sir, we do too.
You got that watch with you?
Yes, sir.
Yeah.
Here you are.
Oh, thanks.
I got to thinking about it last night about why you think it was mine.
Yes, sir.
I guess it didn't make much of an impression on me at the time, but I remembered it.
Yeah?
I figured out how you got my name on it.
Yes, sir.
I did take the watch in to be fixed.
It isn't mine, but I did have it fixed.
Well, who does it belong to?
My cousin, Herbert Langley.
He got in some trouble when he was at Quentin.
He sent the watch out to me to have it fixed.
I guess I must have forgotten all about it.
You know where he is now?
He was staying here with us.
How long ago, ma'am?
The guy the day after we moved in the house.
That'd be Sunday.
Yeah.
I remember it because Mike and me were trying to get the place straightened out and Herb
didn't do anything but sit around and guzzle beer.
Didn't look to hand to help.
So you're here now?
You mean staying here?
Yes, ma'am.
No, he moved out about a week ago.
Did he tell you where he was going?
No.
He said he was tired of being a fifth wheel left.
Him and Pearl didn't get along too good.
We sure didn't.
One thing I don't go is a man that doesn't work.
Laying around the house all day or else down at some bar drinking all day.
Do you know what he was in jail for?
Herb kept telling us it was a bad beef.
They didn't have anything to do with it.
What was the charge?
Robbery.
Where was that?
Up north.
It was at San Rafael, wasn't it, honey?
A real bum.
I wish you wouldn't say that, Pearl.
Why not?
It's true.
You just didn't understand him.
No, and I didn't want to.
I don't like him.
Never did.
All the time, laying around, giving orders.
Wanted to be waited on, hand and foot.
He was asking for something.
Him and that lousy coffee.
That was the end when he started asking for that Irish coffee.
What do you mean?
Coffee, Irish whiskey, and whipped cream.
Something he heard about someplace.
Do you know where he is now?
No.
How about you, sir?
Well, I haven't got the address, but he did say something about going back to see Mother.
Where would that be?
Texas.
He wasn't sure.
He just said he was thinking about it.
Oh, did he say when he was coming back?
No.
Him and Pearl had a beef before he left.
Packed the bag, said he'd never be back.
We got a complete description of Herbert Langley and a snapshot of him.
Frank and I went back to the office and put in a call to Fred Galloway in the adult authority
office.
He contacted Sacramento and got Langley's prison number.
We checked the coming out mug books and got a good picture of the suspect.
This was shown to the victims and they identified him positively as the holdup man.
A local and an APB were gotten out on him and a radiogram was sent to the authorities
in Galveston, Texas asking them to check on the suspect.
We got a list of his known friends and other relatives.
These were interviewed, but they were unable to give us any further leads on Langley's
whereabouts.
A week went by.
On Friday, February 27th, Frank and I got back into the office from the main jail.
You think he's telling the truth?
Yeah, well, if he is, it's the first time.
He hasn't had an honest job in the last six years.
Better check the book, huh?
Yeah.
Robbery, Stuart.
Yeah, just a minute.
Joe, take one.
Thanks, Hugh.
One?
One.
Miss Friday?
Yes, ma'am.
Uh-huh.
Well, no, he won't hear it from us.
Yeah.
Well, how long ago was that?
Yeah.
All right, no, we'll check it out.
Thanks for calling us.
Right?
Bye.
Nothing in the book.
It was Pearl Langley on the phone.
Yeah.
She just got a message from the suspect.
Yeah.
He's in town.
Frank and I, along with Stuart, Creasy, Stromwell, and Stoner, checked out of the office and
went over to the bar on Winona Street.
Mrs. Langley had told me on the phone that her brother-in-law had sent a telegram to the
house asking that her husband meet him there after work.
When we got to the place, the suspect wasn't there.
Stuart and Creasy covered the front of the bar while Stromwell and Stoner staked out on
the alley at the back of the place.
Frank and I went inside and talked to the bartender, Van Gordon.
Hi, Joe, Frank.
Van.
How's it going?
You seen the fellow Nick that you told us about?
No, not since I talked to you.
If you'd been in, I'd have sure given you a call.
Why?
Well, we got word he's in town.
Supposed to show up here.
How heavy is he?
We don't know for sure.
You found out who he is yet?
Yeah.
We made him for a Herbert Langley.
You got him for the market job?
Victims say he's the man, yeah.
Uh-huh.
But when do you say he's going to be here?
Oh, the way we got it sometime this afternoon.
Say, you going to take him here?
I'm going to try.
Well, do me a favor, will you?
Try it, or what's that?
Well, if there's a beef, will you try and steer him outside before he gets spat out?
I don't want the place broken up.
I would do what we can.
We get you anything while you're waiting?
How about some coffee?
Yeah, I think there's some left.
I don't know how good it is.
Well, as long as it's hot and black.
Well, I'll get a couple of cups.
You want to drink it here at the bar?
No, we'll take it to one of the booths.
Okay.
Hey, you'll remember, huh?
What's that?
I'll try to steer him outside.
Okay, I'll try to steer him.
Frank and I sat down in the booth and we waited.
2.30 p.m.
3.
No sign of Langley.
3.30.
Several people came in and sat down at the bar.
The bartender tried to get him out of the place as soon as he could.
In the event there wasn't any trouble, we didn't want anyone to get hurt.
4 o'clock.
4.15.
Hi, man.
How's it going?
Oh, pretty good, Nick.
Where you been?
Oh, I took a couple of weeks out of town.
I had some business to do.
Uh-huh.
How'd it be?
Irish coffee, huh?
Yeah.
Put some whipped cream on it this time.
Sure, sure.
That's him.
Let's go.
Yeah.
You ever been up through Washington Bay?
No.
You should try to make the trip sometime.
Sure, beautiful.
You got something you want?
Herb Langley?
Who's asking?
Police officers.
You're under arrest.
All right.
Stand up.
What's the charge?
Robbery.
What's the charge?
I'll take him, Charlie.
Get him outside.
Don't break up the place.
Get out of here!
All right, come on.
Get up.
Want a coffee?
Yeah.
Oh, look at this place.
Just look at it.
It's gonna take me a couple of weeks to open it up again.
Oh, we're sorry about it, Van.
Oh, this isn't gonna do much good.
We're gonna have to do something about it.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Oh, I'm sorry.
Oh, I'm sorry about it, Van.
Oh, this isn't gonna do much good.
We're gonna place a smashed up.
Who's gonna pay for it?
Who's gonna make it right?
I wouldn't know.
See, I asked you to steer him outside.
I asked you to steer him outside.
Well, he didn't give us much choice.
Huh?
This is the way he wanted it.
Nice to say, but who's gonna pay for it?
It wouldn't do much good if I told you.
Huh?
He's got another bill to pay first.
The story you've just heard is true.
Why don't you believe that there's a way that
in the first degree is punishable by imprisonment in the state penitentiary for a period of
not less than five years.
You have just heard Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action, and
starring Jack Webb, a presentation of the United States Armed Forces radio service.
Cut.