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This is case closed crime stories from the golden age of radio. Welcome back to Case Closed Crime Stories from the Golden Age of Radio every Wednesday@Relicradio.com. if you'd like to help support this podcast, visit donate.Relicradio.com or click on the support link in the show notes. Thanks to those who have helped out over the years. Thanks for joining me this week. We'll begin with Squad Cars and hear their story from August 4, 1968, titled His Hobby. After that it's Walk Softly, Peter Troy and the Champagne Doll. That one. Aired March 10, 1960. Squad cars. The story you're about to hear is true. Details are supplied from official case files by the South African police. Only names and places have been changed to protect innocent people involved. Johannesburg, April 10, 9:17pm A police patrol car is prowling the Hillbrow area. The occupants are constables Maybach and MacDonald. The hippies are waving to you, Pitt. Friends of yours? Oh, they always wave. What do you think of them? They're a dirty lot. They'd all look a lot better if they took a bath now and again. And cut their hair. It's funny. Yes, they don't give us much trouble. True. You know, I often look at them and wonder how they'd shape on the farm. Yeah, might do them a lot of good. See that? He's in a hurry. Shut up. Claim Street. Let's go and take a look. You can't go up there. It's a one way street. No, I'll shoot up, twist and try and get onto him in Kotzer Street. Hold tight. Been a quiet night so far. It always is midweek. It's Friday and Saturday. The fun and games start. Everybody seems to be wanting a party on the weekends. Right, left into Claim Street. Can you see him? 67 Delta, wasn't it? Yeah. No, hang on a sec. Yes, he slowed down for their robot. Down the bottom there by Caroline Street. Right. Keep a sharp lookout, You Dr. Well, Pitt, Thanks. There he goes. Straight down. Still in a hurry too. I wonder what his case is. Let's pull him over and find out. Straight through that red light. Careful, Pitt. I'm watching it. Seems to be heading for Louis Both Avenue. That should be interesting. You'll think he's on a racetrack light screen. You can go. Get around the corner. You should be able to see him. You think he knows we're onto him? Don't know yet. There he is. Going like a rocket. Right, my beauty. He's turning off to the left. What street's that Elm Street. Watch it. There's a robot. Where does Elm street go? Monroe Drive. Down to Hartman. No chance of cutting him off. You'll just have to sit on his tail. He'll have to slow down for Monroe Drive. It's not a road you can negotiate at speed. There's that hairpin bend halfway done. Yeah, I remember it. He'll write himself off if he doesn't slow down. There he is. Gaining on him. Flashing with your lights. There's only one man in the car. Yeah, seems to be. He knows we're following him. Look at him go full. See that? But the curb. He's turning right. So are we. What street's this? St. Patrick Road. We've got him. Why? It's a dead end. Sure? Positive. Yes. He's slowing down. Don't give him a chance to turn around. I won't. He's going up that drive. No, no. He stopp. He thinks he's gonna turn round. Okay, we'll park right across his rear bumper. Careful, Pitt, he's reckless. There. He's all yours. Thanks. What's your hurry? There was somebody chasing me. It was us. Where's the fire? I haven't done anything. You'd run through if you saw that somebody was chasing you. If you thought somebody was playing the fool, you could have pulled over and let them pass. I wasn't taking any chances. Not much. You went. You're lucky you're still alive the way you've been driving. Is this your car? Yes. Show me the keys. Hey, what's the registration number of this car? Just a minute. Don't fluster me. Uh, registration number? I know it as well as my own name. Yeah? You sure you didn't pick it up for a joyride? No, no, it's mine. Where do you live? In the Free State. Whereabouts in the Free State? Lutzville, near Bloemfontein. What are you doing in Joburg? Well, I came up for the Round Easter show. I gotta keep a breast of developments. You don't look like a farmer. You don't look like a policeman. He's drunk. I am not. For your information, I'm slightly inebriated. Been celebrating? No, I've been drowning my sorrows. Gotta go home at the end of the week and I don't wanna go home. Why not? Wouldn't you like to know? Come on, man, pull yourself together. What's your name? Barrington. First name? David. What's the registration number of this car? OLV394. Well, it's his all right. I Told you. Quiet, man. You'll wake the street. What are we going to do with him? He's not fit to drive, that's for sure. We're going to take him in. Yes, I think we better. For his own good mistake. He's a danger to himself as well as other drivers. Okay, move over, Mr. Berington. I'm driving. Not anymore. Move over. Do you think you can drive this car? Move over and I'll show you. Okay, but Diana's not gonna like this, you know. Who's Diana? That's my wife. She gives me a hard time. I bet it's nothing compared with the time you give her. Shall we take him to Hospital Hill? Yeah, okay. I'll see you there. Hey, what's Hospital Hill? It's a local police station. Am I in trouble? No. Bits. Diana's not gonna like this. I promised I'd keep out of trouble. I gave her my word of honor. That's the only reason she let me come to Joburg. It's automatic. Can you manage it? I think so. What do you farm? Mealies and cattle when the drought left me. It's hit you hard, has it? It's hit everybody hard. The Prime Minister said that it was one of the worst catastrophes to hit this country. Very concerned about it. Couldn't have hit you that badly. What are you talk. All my cattle died, didn't they? You're driving a brand new car. You've got money enough to come up to Joburg for a week. Ah, that's my little hobby. What's that? Wouldn't you like to know, eh? So you've got another source of income besides farming. I didn't say that. Not in so many words. It so happens that I have a father in law who's rather well to do. Not short of a bob or two. Isn't Redfurz Llewellyn. It was Redfearz Llewelyn who set me up on condition that I looked after Diana properly. And do you? Well, it's a battle, let me tell you. A very difficult girl. Highly strung. Worries about. Worries about all of us. Why? Because of my little hobby. I think we'd better let your wife know what's happened to you. Oh, no, no. Mustn't do that. She'll never let me go off without her again. I had the devil's own job getting away. I don't want to ruin everything. You should have thought of that before you got tanked up like this. Yeah. What's going to happen to me? Well, you'll spend the night as our guest and in the morning you may pay an admission of guilt. Then you can be on your way. Got any money? Plenty. Plenty. Just a minute. Let me show you. How about that, eh? See, you're lucky you still got that. That's the biggest roll of notes I ever saw. How much is that? I don't know. I haven't counted it lately. 9:45pm Hillbrow Police Station. Constables Maybach and Macdon are watching the sergeant on duty. Take charge of David Beddington's things before locking him up for the night. Give me a tie. When will I get it back? You get everything back in the morning. Then why can't I keep it? Regulations. Regulations. And your belt, please. My belt and keys. These are his Sergeant Keys. Various 5. Any pens? Pen. Your wallet. Wallet. And the money in your possession. Hey, are you sure I'm gonna get all this back? Everything goes in this canvas bag and you get a receipt for it. Yeah, but who gets the canvas bag? It goes into the station safe. Okay. I got lots of money, big roll, haven't I, Constable? That's for sure. Here you are, Garry. Constable. Right, Sergeant. 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100. 10, 20, 30, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty, ninety, one hundred and one, two, three, four, five, six, tens, two hundred and sixty. Runt. And there's two ront. 22, 3, 4, 5, 27 cents. 262 rons. And 27 cents. 262, 27. It's a lot of money. It's income from what he calls his hobby. What's that? He's not telling. It's probably the horses. No, it's not the horses. You're not even warm. I'm not in the mood for games. Frisk him, Constable. All right, Sergeant. Is that the lot? No, Sergeant. Just a minute. Something in the match pocket of his jacket. Now pull it out. Let's have a look. Hey, hey, you can't have that. That's my good luck. Here we are. Let's see. What is it? It's an uncut diamond, Sergeant. It's part of my little hobby. April 11, 9:05am having been called from the Witwatersrand Divisional Headquarters, Lt. Anderson of the diamond and Gold Staff is interviewing David Beddington in an office at the Hillbrow Police Station. Got a hangover? Yes. From all accounts, you deserve one. You're a free stater. I am now. How long have you been farming? Ever since I've gotten married. How long's that? Three years. Is it your farm? No, it's my wife's, actually. I'm running the place for her. I see. All right. Well, where did you get all this money? It's money for my expenses while I'm in Joburg. I didn't ask you what it was for. I asked you where you got it. I drew it from the bank. Well, we can check on that. This diamond, as you know, it's against the law to have uncut diamonds in your possession. No. Where'd you get it? Found it. Where? In a river on my farm. And where's that? Lutzville. It's near Bloemfontein, isn't it? Yes, but that's not a diamond area. No. You just found the one? Yes. It's a big one. You might get three carrots out of it when it's cut. Yes. You realize I must confiscate it. That's the law. Yes. Sorry. I'm sorry. I don't believe your story either. You know what? What? You're going home to Lutzville today, eh? Yes, and I'm going with you. Lutzville in the Free State. 2:57pm the car in which Lt. Anderson and David Bellingham have traveled from Johannesburg pulls up outside the house on the farm called Invador. A young woman comes out to greet them.