Podcast Summary: Dragnet – "The Big Cut" (09/14/1954)

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode Air Date: September 16, 2025
Original Broadcast: September 14, 1954
Theme: A methodical investigation of a daring jewelry store burglary in 1950s Los Angeles, following Detective Joe Friday and partner Frank Smith as they unravel a case involving break-ins, a trail of clues, and the relentless pursuit of justice.

Overview

In this classic episode of Dragnet, Det. Joe Friday and Frank Smith work a burglary detail after a jewelry store is robbed via an adjoining barbershop. $5,000 worth of merchandise is stolen, leading the detectives through a procedural investigation—examining clues, interrogating suspects, and employing the latest police techniques. The story offers a glimpse into the Golden Age of American police drama, where attention to evidence and dogged police work bring the case to a satisfying conclusion.

Key Discussion Points & Investigation Breakdown

1. Crime Scene Investigation

• [03:54] Arrival at Scene & Initial Assessment
  • Joe Friday and Frank Smith arrive at Ray Hemp’s Jewelry Store (6247 28th Street): “We were working the day Watch out of burglary detail… it was 10:18am when we got to... the jewelry store.”
  • Ray Hemp, the owner, describes discovering the burglary and shows the detectives a large hole cut in the wall connecting to a barbershop.
  • Only a few watch bands remain; most valuable watches (notably Longines) are stolen.
• [04:52] Inspection of Barbershop
  • The detectives note an open back door and find no signs of forced entry on doors, suggesting the culprit entered via the barbershop.
  • Discovery of a stocking footprint with what appears to be blood stains in the barbershop:

    "Can you see it?... looks like a stocking foot, huh?" – Joe Friday ([07:05])

  • Blood stains suggest the thief cut his foot during the break-in, likely at the skylight.

2. Evidence Collection & Community Canvass

• [09:46] Crime Lab Involvement
  • The crime lab arrives to collect blood samples, fingerprints, plaster dust, and investigate potential entry/escape routes.
  • Frank and Joe canvass the neighborhood but yield no eyewitnesses.

3. Lead Development

• [11:44] Narcotics Tie-In
  • A break comes from Narcotics: Frederick Gabriel Garth, previously arrested for burglary and narcotics, is picked up.
• [12:19] Interrogation of Garth
  • Garth claims innocence but, under pressure, implicates Victor Gordon, who supposedly bought a stolen watch for $5.

4. Tracking Down the Fence

• [13:38] Victor Gordon’s Apartment
  • Gordon is evasive about his watch; after searching his room, police discover a .38 Colt in his closet and the stolen Longines watch in his medicine cabinet.
  • Notable exchange:

    “If I had a watch, I'd be wearing it, wouldn't I?...” – Victor Gordon ([14:48])

5. Identification of the Real Burglar

• [19:42] Gordon’s Statement and New Lead
  • Gordon insists he bought the watch from a man named "Kermit" and provides Kermit’s girlfriend’s address.
  • Positive ID links “Kermit” to Kermit J. Wayne, an ex-con and expert safe burglar known for tunneling methods.

6. Physical Evidence and Stakeout

• [22:26] Blood-Stained Socks
  • Searching Wayne’s room turns up a pair of socks with blood stains, matching the evidence from the crime scene.
• [23:10] Stakeout for Kermit Wayne
  • Detectives stake out the apartment and disable Wayne’s car to await his return.
  • Memorable dialogue about broken clocks and chicken hatcheries while waiting ([23:10–24:36]):

    "Clocks that are broke—twice a day, they're right. How’d you like to be right only twice a day?” – Frank Smith

7. Arrest & Confession Attempt

• [24:57] Wayne’s Arrest
  • Wayne is arrested; he has a limp and examination reveals a cut foot.
• [25:50] Recovery of Stolen Goods
  • Wayne’s girlfriend unwittingly holds a suitcase full of watches and rings from the burglary, revealing Wayne’s duplicity even to his loved ones.
  • “Said he'd always promised to buy her a good watch. Never had.” – Detective ([26:27])

8. Confrontation and Outcome

• [27:05] Evidence Presentation
  • Despite mounting forensic evidence, including blood, matching socks, and clothing debris, Wayne maintains his silence, demanding a lawyer.
  • Friday lays out the case:

    “When you went into that jewelry store, you cut your foot, you left blood smears all over the place. You gotta stay away from comic books. We got pictures of the smears. Our crime lab matched them up with a pair of socks that we found in your room…” ([27:56])

  • Wayne remarks bitterly about luck:

    “Don’t think you’re so smart. You ain’t. You just got the breaks, that’s all.” ([28:20])

  • Friday retorts with a final lesson:

    “Once in a while, a brakes fall on your side. Something else you should have learned real young. You wouldn’t be worrying about the brakes now. What’s that? The Eighth Commandment.” ([28:27])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Discovery of the Blood-Stained Print:

  “Looks like it could be blood... Might have cut his foot.” – Frank Friday ([07:19])

• Comic Relief – Clocks and Chicken Hatchery:

  “Clocks that are broke—twice a day, they're right. How’d you like to be right only twice a day?” – Frank Smith ([23:33])

• The Reality of Police Work:

  “You just got the breaks, that’s all.” – Kermit Wayne ([28:20])
  “Something else you should have learned real young... The Eighth Commandment.” – Joe Friday ([28:27])

Case Resolution

• [29:34] Trial & Sentencing
  • Kermit J. Wayne is tried and convicted of first-degree burglary—minimum five years in state prison.
  • Victor Gordon is convicted of violating the Dangerous Weapons Control Act—sentenced to up to one year in county jail or a $500 fine, or both.

Episode Highlights

• Consistent, methodical detective work: canvassing, evidence collection, informant questioning.
• Forensic science in 1950s law enforcement: crime lab analysis, physical matching of evidence.
• Authentic, stoic style of Joe Friday and dry humor by Frank Smith.
• Thematic focus on personal responsibility, fate, and moral code in crime and policing.

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Highlight | |-----------|--------------------------------------------------------| | 03:54 | Detectives arrive at the scene and inspect the shop. | | 07:05 | Discovery of bloody stocking print—critical clue. | | 09:46 | Crime lab involvement; canvassing for witnesses. | | 12:19 | Interrogation of Fred Garth leads to vital new lead. | | 14:48 | Search and questioning of Victor Gordon. | | 19:42 | Gordon’s statement leads detectives to Kermit Wayne. | | 22:26 | Discovery of blood-stained socks in Wayne’s room. | | 24:57 | Stakeout and arrest of Kermit Wayne. | | 26:11 | Stolen goods recovered from Wayne’s girlfriend. | | 27:56 | Forensic evidence confrontation; Wayne’s denial. | | 28:27 | Joe Friday’s Eighth Commandment retort. | | 29:34 | Sentencing and official resolution. |

Conclusion

A tightly constructed, procedural detective drama exemplifying Dragnet’s “just the facts” reputation, this episode delivers on suspense, wit, and forensic intrigue. Listeners experience a full, deliberate police investigation—everyman dialogue, subtle humor, and an abiding sense of justice guided by the law and a moral code. The timeless lesson: sometimes, you win or lose by the breaks, but the law always catches up.