Dragnet: The Big Present 11/24/1953

Summary

Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio Episode Summary: Dragnet: "The Big Present" (11/24/1953)
Release Date: December 17, 2024

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Introduction

In this gripping episode of Dragnet, titled "The Big Present," Detective Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith are assigned to a challenging burglary case that has baffled the Los Angeles Police Department. The storyline delves deep into the psychological motivations of a juvenile suspect, exploring themes of isolation, the quest for acceptance, and the impact of societal pressures on youth delinquency.

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Case Overview

Initial Incident: The episode opens on a chilly Monday morning, December 14th, where Joe Friday and Frank Smith are briefed about a series of 18 market burglaries over the past two months with no leads or clues pointing to the thief's identity. Their objective is clear: apprehend the burglar and bring him to justice.

Meeting with Sergeant Lindsay Simmons (02:15): Friday and Smith visit the Georgia Street Juvenile Bureau to consult with Sergeant Lindsay Simmons. They discuss the complexities of the case, particularly focusing on the peculiar pattern observed in the burglaries—the consistent use of empty milk bottles left at each crime scene. Sgt. Simmons suggests that the thief might be a kleptomaniac, a theory that intrigue Friday and Smith but leaves them with more questions than answers.

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Investigation and Stakeout

Crime Scene Analysis (05:45): The detectives visit the latest burglary site, an Italian delicatessen on the corner of Jackson and Broadway streets. They inspect the entry point, a window pane measuring nine and a half by twelve and three-quarters inches, noting the absence of an alarm due to recent technical issues. The only tangible clue is an open package of cigarettes found in the back parking lot, but fog the previous night has rendered any prints unusable.

Stakeout Strategy (09:38): Analyzing the crime pattern, Friday and Smith deduce that the burglar strikes exclusively on Friday and Saturday nights between 8 PM and midnight. To catch the thief in action, they organize a rolling stakeout in collaboration with additional Metro Reserve cars, preparing for a week-long observation.

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Character Development and Personal Struggles

Joe Friday’s Personal Life (13:20): Amidst the investigation, Detective Friday grapples with personal issues at home. He reveals marital strains with his wife Faye, highlighting his struggles to balance work and family life. This subplot adds depth to Friday’s character, showcasing the personal sacrifices involved in law enforcement.

Frank Smith’s Dilemma (16:00): The narrative takes a poignant turn as Smith contemplates the upcoming birthday of his wife, Faye. He purchases a deep-fat fryer as a gift, hoping to mend his strained relationship. However, Faye remains distant, symbolizing the emotional toll of their demanding jobs.

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Breakthrough and Confrontation

Apprehension of the Suspect (16:35): After days of meticulous surveillance, Friday and Smith finally spot the burglar in action. In a tense confrontation, Frank attempts to subdue the suspect, who resists violently. Through persistent interrogation, it is revealed that the suspect, Elroy Graham, is a 15-year-old juvenile struggling with feelings of inadequacy and societal rejection.

Notable Quote (17:32):

• Joe Friday: "You're going to come around. Yeah, we'll find out."

Elroy’s Admission (22:50): Elroy opens up about his motivations, explaining that his actions stemmed from a desire to be noticed and accepted by his peers. He recounts how his physical stature led to constant bullying and exclusion, driving him to seek validation through petty crimes.

Notable Quote (24:25):

• Elroy Graham: "I did it to be big. That's why I had the things other people wanted. Cigarettes, candy. The other things kids wanted made me important."

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Resolution and Reflection

Juvenile Court Outcome (26:20): Elroy is brought before the Juvenile Court, where he is placed under the care of the probation department for three years, contingent upon his parents seeking psychiatric help. This resolution emphasizes the importance of addressing the root causes of juvenile delinquency rather than solely focusing on punitive measures.

Final Interaction (27:35): In a heartfelt moment, Elroy returns to thank Friday and Smith, presenting them with packages of cigarettes as a token of appreciation. He reflects on their role in helping him confront his issues, illustrating the potential for rehabilitation and positive change.

Notable Quote (25:47):

• Joe Friday: "It's gonna be all right here."

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Key Themes and Insights

1. Psychological Motivations: The episode delves into the internal struggles of youth, highlighting how feelings of inadequacy and the yearning for acceptance can lead to delinquent behavior.

2. Law Enforcement's Human Side: Through personal subplots, the episode reveals the emotional burdens carried by detectives, emphasizing their humanity and the complexities of their personal lives.

3. Rehabilitation over Punishment: The resolution in Juvenile Court underscores the importance of rehabilitative approaches in addressing juvenile crimes, advocating for mental health support and familial involvement.

4. Societal Pressures: Elroy’s story is a commentary on the societal expectations placed on young individuals and the consequences when they fail to meet these standards.

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Conclusion

"Dragnet: The Big Present" masterfully intertwines a compelling investigative narrative with profound character studies, offering listeners not only a thrilling police procedural but also a thoughtful exploration of the societal factors influencing youth behavior. Through the diligent efforts of Joe Friday and Frank Smith, the episode delivers a message of empathy, understanding, and the enduring pursuit of justice.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Frank Smith (00:33): "It will be full representative."

• Joe Friday (02:37): "Would you speak to your mother in that tone? Speak to a real human being. You shouldn't need to shout into the void to get your health insurance questions answered."

• Frank Smith (13:20): "Faye's tried to find them for me. Salami liked this. Brought home all kind of things, but she's never found the right kind."

• Elroy Graham (24:25): "I did it to be big. That's why I had the things other people wanted. Cigarettes, candy. The other things kids wanted made me important."

• Joe Friday (25:47): "It's gonna be all right here."

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Final Thoughts

This episode stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Dragnet, seamlessly blending authentic police work with deep psychological narratives. "The Big Present" not only entertains but also prompts listeners to reflect on the societal influences shaping youth behavior, making it a standout installment in the series' illustrious history.

Transcript

[Joe Friday]

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[Frank Smith]

My school uses Podbean.

[Joe Friday]

My church too. I love it. I really do. If you know your party's Extension, press or say 1 to leave a message in our company mailbox, press or say 2. Spoiler alert.

[Frank Smith]

It will be full representative.

[Joe Friday]

Would you speak to your mother in that tone? Speak to a real human being. You shouldn't need to shout into the void to get your health insurance questions answered. Pacific Source Health Plans.

[Frank Smith]

This is a real person.

[Joe Friday]

How can I help you? Human service, not automated phone trees. Pacific Source Health Plans. Welcome to Choice Classic Radio where we bring to you the greatest old time radio shows like us on Facebook. Subscribe to us on YouTube and thank you for [e-mail] Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Dragnet is brought to you by Chesterfield. Made by Liggett and Myers. First major tobacco company to give you a complete line of quality cigarettes. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a burglary detail. In the past two months, a thief has broken into 18 markets. There's no lead to his whereabouts, no clue to his identity. Your job. Get him friends. Stage and screen star Paul Douglas is featured on the Chesterfield poster of the month that's up all over town. Here's what Paul Douglas says about Chesterfield's quote. I've been smoking Chesterfield for 22 years. They're best for me. If you try them, you'll find they're best for you. You know why Chesterfields are best for you? Because they're low in nicotine, highest in quality, and of course, Chesterfields are really mild, really satisfying. Try them yourself. Today, smoke America's most popular two way cigarette, Chesterfield, regular and king size. Best for you, Dragnet. The documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Monday, December 14th. It was cold in Los Angeles. We were working the day. Watch out. A burglary detail. My partner's Frank Smith, the boss Is Captain Bernard. My name's Friday. We're on our way out of the office and it was 8:05am when we got to Georgia Street Juvenile Bureau. Sergeant Lindsay Simmons office. Yeah. Well, did you give it to him? Uh huh. Yeah. What do you say? Yeah. When he come back? Uh huh. Well, did he have it for you? Yeah. Well, that'll teach you not to go that route anymore. All right, Patrick, tell the sergeant to call me when he gets back. Right. Hi, Friday Smith. Hi, Lindsay. Morning, Sergeant. Just talking to Gene Patrick over at Highland Park. You know him? Yeah, I met him a couple times. Picked up a youngster a couple of days ago on suspicion of burglary. Brought him into the office and Patrick talked to him. Yeah. Well, he finally bought it that the kid didn't have anything to do with the thefts. He told him to go home. Uh huh. Kid told Gene he didn't have the money to get home, so gene gave him 20 cents. Kid swore he'd come in and pay it back. Did he? Yeah, he came in this morning, gave Patrick two dimes, Told him thanks for believing the story. Then Patrick got the kicker. Kid really did break into a house last night to get the money. What's Patrick got to say about that? Says the kid's honest in a sort of way. Did pay him back. And where's the youngster now? Got him over Holland Park Juvenile. I better call Gene. Maybe I can give him a hand. I got a couple of streetcar tokens I won't be using. Might like to have them. Oh, hold it. If I was you, I don't think I'd bring it up to him for a couple of days. Well, what can I do for you too? Well, Lindsey, we've been working on a string of burglaries. You maybe got the word on them. I don't think so. What's the story? Bunch of store burglaries. Papers that tagged them. The milk bottle jobs. Oh yeah? Yeah. Seems Hartgrove was telling me something about them the other day. Where do we come in? Well, the way the jobs look, we've been thinking they maybe belong in your department instead of ours. How do you figure that? First off, the milk thing. What do you mean? Every job he's pulled, we found an empty milk bottle on the counter. Okay, what's that? Proof. Well, milk and kids go together. Sure, so do milk and ulcers. Maybe your thief's got the bull horrors when he gets into the store. No, Lindsay, there's another thing. The way he prowls the places all he takes is petty cash. Just a couple of bucks outside. Candy, cigarettes, nothing big. Some of the places he's gone into, you could open the safe with a pocket knife. And he hasn't even made a move toward him. Maybe he's a kleptomaniac. Got a lot of them on the books. Maybe that's the way he gets his kicks. Oh, it's a nice try, Lindsey. If you know anybody that can climb through a 14 by 10 inch hole, you trot him and we'll talk to him, Okay? I haven't got the names on my desk, but you take a trip to Santa Anita, you'll meet a lot of them jockeys you guys know. We'll go along with you on this thing. Anything we can do. But until we're sure that there's a juvenile involved, there's nothing we can do. Anything turns up, we'll be sure to turn over to you. Now, look, we're not trying to palm this thing off on you, Lindsay. We've had the stats office make so many runs on small adults that the cards are wearing out. It just seems that none of the leads we've been chasing come out anywhere. We figured that maybe you could come up with some answers for us. It's a new one on me, Joe, this milk bit. I've heard of a couple of thieves that went for it, but I can't name you a juvenile offhand. I'll pass the word around the day watch, see what they can come up with. I'll leave a note for Hartgrove. He can pass it on the night watch. Well, appreciate anything he can do. No trouble. Been running you ragged on this, huh? It's pretty rough. It's just that we can't seem to be able to come up with anything that adds. Yeah? Excuse me. Yeah? Georgia Street Juvenile. Sergeant Simmons. Yeah, yeah, they're here. Which one? Okay, hang on. For you, Joy. Your office. Thank you. Friday time. Yeah, right away. What's the address? Yeah, no, I got it. We'll leave right away. Who? Yeah, call him. Thanks. Oh, come on, let's go. The milk bottle kid, he hit again. The call had come from Lieutenant Ginder in Burglary. He told us that he'd just gotten a call from a storekeeper named Monty De Robertis. The man had called to report a burglary at his store at the corner of Jackson and Broadway streets. Lt. Ginder told us that the crime lab had been notified and had dispatched a crew to investigate the premises for physical evidence. Frank and I left Georgia Street Juvenile. We Drove over to Figueroa. Then we turned over onto Broadway. The store that had been broken into was a small Italian delicatessen on the southeast corner. By the time we got there, the crime lab crew had already arrived and was winding up their investigation. We walked into the place and we met with Ray Pinker. Hi, Joe. Frank, Ray. Hi, Ray. How's it going? Usual thing. Bottle of milk on the counter. You want to check it over? Yeah. Come on back here. Thief made his entrance back here at the rear of the store. There it is. Broke out the window pane. Yeah. Not very big, huh? Measures nine and a half by 12 and 3 quarters. No alarm on the window, huh? Yeah, you can see the wires. Here. Take a look. Oh, yeah. How come the alarm didn't go off? I talked to the owner. He said he's had trouble with the alarm system last couple of weeks. Called the company and asked him to fix it. He thought it was okay. Guess there's something wrong someplace. Didn't work last night. What kind of alarm was it, Ray? Outside on the building? Another kind. Yeah? What'd he take this time, Rick? Usual, Ron and stuff. According to the owner, there are about four cartons of cigarettes missing, several boxes of candy. Can't be absolutely sure. Said he's got a check his stock. Be better if you talk to him on that. Yeah, we will. We'll catch him later. Want to wait a minute? I'll check and see how the boys are doing on the prints. Had him check the counter in the milk bottle. Fine. Thanks, Ray. Be right back. Right. Well, I wonder when we're going to blow the whistle on this guy. I don't know. Can't do it fast enough for me. Well, I'm with you. Hey, Joe, look at this. You know, I'd like to get a couple of those before we leave. What are you talking about? Salami, Joe. Those right there. The hard Italian kind. See? Right there. Yeah. I remember last summer I was out in San Francisco. Yeah, I remember. Went up there to pick up a prisoner. Remember you were collecting days off? Yeah, I recall I had a hundred of them coming. Yeah, pretty funny. Anyway, I met Dan Shelley up there. You mean the Irish tenor? Yeah. He and I went down to Cookie's Bar for lunch. Cookie had some of this salami. Sliced it like paper. You could almost read through it. It's the way it's supposed to be. I know, Joe. Anyway, Cookie sliced up a bunch of it, served it with cold cracked crab. Boy, I never tasted anything so good in my life. Don't you ever Read the newspaper through sliced salami. Yeah. I never have. Have you? All the time. Just the funnies. Well, anyway, Faye's tried to find them for me. Salami liked this. Brought home all kind of things, but she's never found the right kind. You know, they'd be hard enough to pound tax with them. She got them home. Never forget old Cookie and that spread. Well, if you can get your mind off food for a minute, and I know that'll be tough. Let's get on with this thing, shall we? Yeah, sure. Gotta buy some of these before we leave. Just like cookie head. Yep. Just finished with Powder. Joe? Yeah? Nothing. Whoever it was drank the milk. He took the bottle out of the refrigeration compartment. Bottle sweated. And there isn't a print on it we can lift. That's too bad. None of them any place, huh? No. We've gone over the place from top to bottom through there. We can't find them. That's not much help, is it? Came up with one thing. Maybe you can make something out of it. What's that? Outside the window in the back parking lot. Came up with an open package of cigarettes. Don't know if it belonged to the thief. Anything on it? No. Fog last night ruined any prints that were on it. Boys have got it if you want. Well, we take a look at it. Looks like everything's against us, huh? Another blank. Don't envy you guys trying to break this one. Most of the time there's a leak someplace. Somewhere along the line the guy's gonna make a mistake and not cover something. Yeah, we've been saying that for weeks. This is either the smartest thief I've ever seen or the luckiest. What's this make for him? Number 19. A lot of chances to take from nothing. He's not getting anything out of the jobs. Maybe he isn't, but we are. What headaches. 9:38am we talked to the victim. He told us that as near as he could figure There was approximately $4 stolen from the store. Went on to say that he'd ascertained that five cartons of cigarettes and several boxes of candy bars were taken. He was unable to tell us if any other merchandise was taken until he'd made a complete inventory. He went on to tell us that There was over $600 in the safe but that as far as he could tell, there'd been no attempt to break into it. We made a canvas of the neighborhood and talked with the neighbors. None of them recalled having seen any suspicious people in the neighborhood. The night before, none of them had seen any suspicious automobiles in the area. The one thing that was apparent was that the thief was working in a definite pattern. He worked only on Friday and Saturday nights, always between 8pm and 12 midnight. Frank and I met with Captain Bernard and it was decided that we would maintain a rolling stakeout in the area in which the suspect operated. Four other cars from Metro reserves were assigned to work with us for the next five nights. We worked without results. It was slow and tedious, but considering the lack of information on the thief, it was the only way we had left. We had to be on or near the scene when the thief struck again. Saturday night, December 19th, Frank and I met and drove out to the area. The streets were crowded with early Christmas shoppers. I'll sure be glad when it's over. Why? What's the matter? How many rooms in your apartment, Joe? Three. You know that. You've been there? Yeah. There won't be enough room. What are you talking about? Faye. What's Faye got to do with this? Hack, Joe. Real hack. Why, what's the matter? I got up this morning, I felt great. Faye's got breakfast on the table all nice. Couple eggs, little pig sausages. Nice, you know? Yeah. I come down to the table, she's got the food on, and I hit her with it. What, the food? No, Joe. I hit her with what I'm about to tell her. I tell her I'm gonna have to work tonight. You worked every night this week. What's wrong with that? That's the way I figure it. So I got a way out. You have, huh? Today is Fay's birthday. Well, you didn't tell me. It's not good to tell people, Joe. Oh, it isn't? No. Fay's over 30. Yeah, I kind of figured that. Don't you get it? I'm sorry, pal. You left me a couple of blocks back on this one. Look, I may never catch up. Fay's over 30, Joe. She's getting to the point where she's taken off years. See? How can he give a person a last birthday present? Yeah, I'd tell you about it. You're gonna give her a present, only now, instead of 30, she's 29. You understand? Well, to be perfectly honest with you, no. But as long as you do, it's perfectly all right with me. Yeah? What about this morning? Well, I told her I was going to have to go to work. I got this present for her. Brand new deep fat fryer, real good, all wrapped up. Deep fat fryer? All wrapped up with ribbon. Beautiful. Shiny, beautiful. So you gave it to her? Did it do any good? Not a pound. You know what she does with it? Well, at this point, I wouldn't even want to guess. I'm serious, Joe. This may mean the end of my home. Go ahead. She doesn't even open it. Just puts it in the closet on the back porch. Doesn't even pull the paper apart to peek at what's in it. Real mad, Joe. She may not let me back in the house tonight. Well, you can apologize when you get home. I don't know, Joe. Faye's pretty sore. Didn't even open the present. Wait a minute. Give me a peep, huh? Listen. Yeah, tell where it's coming from. Yeah, sounds like up on seventh. Come on. Podbean. Your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with Podbean. Podbean, the AI powered all in one podcast platform. Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts. Use Podbean to record your podcast. Use PodBean AI to optimize your podcast. Use PodBean AI to turn your blog into a podcast. Use Podbean to distribute your podcast everywhere. Launch your podcast on Podbean today. If you know your party's extension, press or say one to leave a message in our company mailbox. Press or say two.

[Frank Smith]

Spoiler alert. It will be full representative.

[Joe Friday]

Would you speak to your mother in that tone? Speak to a real human being. You shouldn't need to shout into the void to get your health insurance questions answered. Pacific Source Health Plans. This is a real person. How can I help you? Human service, not automated phone trees. Pacific Source Health Plans. Yeah, right here. Pull up. Come on. I'm gonna take the front. All right. Hey, hold it up there, police officer. Stop or I'll shoot. Frank, he's coming around your way. Take it easy.

[Frank Smith]

Go ahead and shoot. Come on and kill me.

[Joe Friday]

Go ahead and shoot me.

[Frank Smith]

It doesn't matter anymore.

[Joe Friday]

Everything all right? Yeah. Just a kid, Joe. I see. What are you doing in the store, son?

[Frank Smith]

What do you think I'm doing?

[Joe Friday]

You ask you a question, son?

[Frank Smith]

Pretty stupid. What do you think I was doing?

[Joe Friday]

How many stores you broken into, son?

[Frank Smith]

Figured out for yourself.

[Joe Friday]

Look. What do you got, a chip on your shoulder?

[Frank Smith]

You're big guys. Don't give me a lot of conversation. Do what you want to do.

[Joe Friday]

All right, boy. You called it. Come on. 11:50pm we called the office and told them that we had a subject in custody and that we were taking him to Georgia Street Juvenile Bureau. We put the boy in our car and we waited until a radio car arrived. We asked the officers to notify the owner of the store and stand by until he got there. We also asked that they make a 459report. 11:55pm we started to take the youngster to the Juvenile Bureau. What's your name, son?

[Frank Smith]

What difference does it make?

[Joe Friday]

Acting like that isn't going to help you.

[Frank Smith]

You guys pick me up, remember? You worry about it. I got nothing to be afraid of.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, yes, you have, boy. You could have been shot back there.

[Frank Smith]

Maybe you should have pulled the trigger.

[Joe Friday]

Look, son, what's the matter with you? Why you acting like this? You just got real lucky back there. That's the only reason you're alive now. It was dark in there. As far as I could tell, you were an adult. You didn't stop when I told you to. Now, according to the book, I could have shot you. You know that, don't you?

[Frank Smith]

Killing a kid better make you a big man.

[Joe Friday]

No, I'm just bringing it up to prove a point.

[Frank Smith]

Save it.

[Joe Friday]

Now, look, son, I'm gonna tell you something. When you break into a place at night, you're not a kid anymore. You're asking for trouble. You got both your pockets full of it. The way you work tonight makes us think you're mixed up in a lot more thefts than just tonight.

[Frank Smith]

That right?

[Joe Friday]

You ever been arrested before?

[Frank Smith]

No.

[Joe Friday]

Never been in trouble with the law, huh?

[Frank Smith]

Sure, I'm a real criminal. I got a ticket once for riding my bike through a boulevard stop. Radio car stop me and tagging. Big deal. But they're gonna send me to San Quentin. Maybe you can give me the gas chamber.

[Joe Friday]

How old are you?

[Frank Smith]

What difference does that make?

[Joe Friday]

How old are you?

[Frank Smith]

You figure it all right.

[Joe Friday]

You look like you're about 11 to me.

[Frank Smith]

That's what everybody thinks. I'll be 15 my next birthday.

[Joe Friday]

Don't kid us, son.

[Frank Smith]

It's the truth. 15. That's what I'll be.

[Joe Friday]

15. When were you born?

[Frank Smith]

1939. November 2nd.

[Joe Friday]

You're small for your age, aren't you?

[Frank Smith]

Why do you say that?

[Joe Friday]

Aren't you?

[Frank Smith]

It's got nothing to do with it. Nothing at all. I can do anything any other kid can do. Anything. Don't you forget that.

[Joe Friday]

What's the matter with you? Is that a sore point with you?

[Frank Smith]

Huh?

[Joe Friday]

Your size? Is that a sore point?

[Frank Smith]

There's nothing wrong with my size. Doctor says that I'm all right. Just that some people aren't Meant to be as big as others, that's all. There's nothing wrong with me now.

[Joe Friday]

Now, come on, son. What's your name? Now, look, you know we're gonna find out.

[Frank Smith]

How are you gonna find out?

[Joe Friday]

We will. Now, why don't you save us all a lot of time and tell us the truth here? It'd be better if you did.

[Frank Smith]

If I do tell you, you gonna put it in the papers, what I tell you? There are gonna be a lot of reporters around. My name gonna get in the papers?

[Joe Friday]

Not from us.

[Frank Smith]

Can't tell you then.

[Joe Friday]

You mean, if there's no reporters around, you aren't gonna tell us your name? Is that it?

[Frank Smith]

That's the way it is.

[Joe Friday]

It's kind of funny, isn't it?

[Frank Smith]

Maybe that's the way it looks to you.

[Joe Friday]

Where do you live?

[Frank Smith]

Can't tell you that, either.

[Joe Friday]

Look, you got things all wrong, son. It isn't what you want to tell us. That's got nothing to do with this. You're going to tell us what we want to know sooner or later.

[Frank Smith]

Where are we going?

[Joe Friday]

Georgia Street.

[Frank Smith]

That's where the jail is.

[Joe Friday]

Why do you ask that?

[Frank Smith]

Because I want to know.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, there's a jail there.

[Frank Smith]

Reporters.

[Joe Friday]

What?

[Frank Smith]

They're going to be reporters.

[Joe Friday]

Then what is this thing with reporters in you? What's this all about?

[Frank Smith]

Reporters put your name in the papers, don't they?

[Joe Friday]

Sometimes.

[Frank Smith]

Well, you get the reporters all lined up. You get them from all the papers. You have them there, and I'll tell you all about it, the whole story. You just get the reporters and the photographers. Be sure about them, because I want some pictures, too.

[Joe Friday]

Now, look, let me get this straight. What you say you aren't going to give us any information without the press being there, Is that right?

[Frank Smith]

That's the way it's going to be.

[Joe Friday]

You got it wrong, boy.

[Frank Smith]

What?

[Joe Friday]

Doesn't make any difference who's there. You're going to come around. Yeah, we'll find out. You are listening to Dragnet. The authentic story of your police force in action. Smokers by the thousands are now changing to Chesterfield because they're learning the facts about Chesterfield. Facts like these. A doctor has been examining chesterfield Smokers for 20 months. Almost two full years now. We've just received his latest report. And it confirms again, no adverse effect to the nose, throat and sinuses from smoking Chesterfield. That's a matter of record, and so is this. Chesterfield is the only cigarette proved highest in quality, low in nicotine. Those are the facts about Chesterfield. More good reasons why Chesterfields taste so good, smoke so much milder. How about it, friends? Smoke America's most popular two way cigarette. Chesterfield, regular and king size. Best for you. 12:10am we got to Georgia Street Juvenile Bureau. Frank pulled the car into the side alley. And we took the subject out of the back seat. Up this way, son.

[Frank Smith]

It's a seedy looking place.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, well, it's been here a long time.

[Frank Smith]

Looks like a set out of a picture.

[Joe Friday]

Don't you worry about it, huh? You want to take him down the hall, Frank? I'll check with Hargrove. Yeah. Come on, bud. Hi. Friday. Working kind of late, aren't you? Yeah, we are. I got the note from Simmons on the milk burglaries. Checked around the night while. There's nothing on it, so I didn't call you. I don't think you have to worry about it. I think we got the answer. Yeah? We just picked up a kid. We got him dead to rights in the market. Open bottle of milk right next to the cash register. Where is he now? Frank's got him down the hall. You think he's your boy? Looks like it. Everything adds up. The entrance. What, he tried to take the milk all along. Seems to fit. You got that kind of a case? What are you worrying about? Just two things. Yeah? Who he is and why he did it. He won't tell you? No. He's got some big thing working about the press. Says he won't give us anything without reporters being there. Makes it rough, Joe. You know the policy. Yeah, I do. He won't let us help him. If he wants publicity, take me down, introduce me as a reporter. Well, it might do. It won't do any harm to try. Let's go. Go ahead. Thanks. Who am I going to be? Well, Telling me. Sid Hughes. From the Mirror, huh? Yeah. Might as well be one of the good ones, Son. You wanted to talk to somebody from the papers. It's against the policy, but we swung it for you. This is Sid Hughes from the Mirror. Hi.

[Frank Smith]

You the fellow that held that guy on the phone in Baltimore?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

Great. I read all about it. You gonna write me up like that?

[Joe Friday]

I hope not, son. There were two men killed in that operation.

[Frank Smith]

I read all the stories. Everybody did. That's how I mean for you to write me up with a picture.

[Joe Friday]

What makes you think you got it coming? You break into one store and try to steal a couple of cartons of cigarettes. That doesn't make the first page.

[Frank Smith]

One store. I got into 19 of them. 19 before they caught me. That's important, isn't it? That's a story.

[Joe Friday]

I don't know. Might be. Couple of things we better get straightened out here. First off, what's your name?

[Frank Smith]

Better get your notebook out, be able to take all this down.

[Joe Friday]

Don't worry about it, son. You just answer the questions. I'll get it.

[Frank Smith]

Yeah, okay. My name's Elroy Graham. That's E, L, R, O Y, G, R A H A M. Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

How old are you?

[Frank Smith]

I told you once. Almost 15.

[Joe Friday]

You said you'd broken into 19 stores. Is that right?

[Frank Smith]

Yeah. 19. Might have made them more, but something went wrong tonight. Had trouble with the burglar alarm. Thought I'd turned it off. Bad mistake. He's still working. If it wasn't for that. Guess it only takes one, though, huh, Mr. Hughes?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I guess so. You want to tell us why you did it?

[Frank Smith]

What?

[Joe Friday]

You had to have a reason for committing these robberies. You want to tell us what it was?

[Frank Smith]

Sure. Good reason. Real good.

[Joe Friday]

All right, tell us.

[Frank Smith]

Well, you see, I always had trouble at school. Never seemed to quite make it. All the guys liked me. They all did. All the girls do, too. Got girls calling me almost every night, asking me to take them to dance and stuff like that. I don't go much for stuff like that. You can understand, can't you, Mr. Hughes?

[Joe Friday]

Go ahead, Elroy.

[Frank Smith]

Well, they wanted me for all the teams. Football, basketball, all the time, asking me to play. But I figured if you want to get ahead in the world, you gotta have an aim someplace where you want to get. Figure out that work for it, and you're gonna get there. Don't you find that true, Mr. Hughes?

[Joe Friday]

Go ahead.

[Frank Smith]

That's the way it was with me all the time. Turning down offers to be on some team, telling some girl that I couldn't take her to a dance. Just didn't have the time. Somehow I just couldn't make it. You can understand it. You've been around, you know all the successful kind of people. You write something and a lot of people read it. You know what I mean, don't you? What's the matter? Something wrong? I'm trying to tell you what happened. I'm giving it to you straight. What's the matter now?

[Joe Friday]

You want to tell us the truth, Elroy?

[Frank Smith]

What?

[Joe Friday]

I don't know why you're trying to sell us this line, boy. It isn't necessary. I don't know why you did what you did, but I do know you had a reason for it. Now, that's all we want to know. Just the reason you don't believe me? Afraid not.

[Frank Smith]

How about you?

[Joe Friday]

No. Sign it. Don't.

[Frank Smith]

Mr. Hughes.

[Joe Friday]

No.

[Frank Smith]

Can't even lie right. Can't even tell a lie. Good. All my life I've been trying to be like other kids. All the time. Getting beat up, getting left out of things, you know? Why do you know?

[Joe Friday]

Go ahead, son.

[Frank Smith]

Big reason. Biggest reason in the world. Cause I'm almost 15 years old. I'm 4ft 7 inches tall. 4ft 7. Weight 97 pounds. That ain't very big. Not big enough. All the time, other kids shoving you around all the time. You're the joke. Gets to the time when you figure it's easy to laugh, too. Because if you don't, some kid's gonna beat you up. Get to the point where you don't care anymore. I used to clip out those coupons and send them in. Get the books back on how to build myself up. Worked at it. Didn't do nothing for me. I was still 4ft 7 and weighed 97 pounds. All the stuff I took didn't do no good. Still came out 4ft 7. 97 pounds.

[Joe Friday]

All right. So you want to tell us about the burglaries?

[Frank Smith]

I did it to be big. That's why I had the things other people wanted. Cigarettes, candy. The other things kids wanted. I had all that stuff that the other kids wanted made me important. Don't you see that? You gotta understand it, Mr. Hughes. That's why I wanted my picture in the paper. That's why I wanted the story. So the kids would know that I'd done something big. So they'd know.

[Joe Friday]

All right, son. It's gonna be all right here.

[Frank Smith]

No, it isn't. Like everything else I tried to do, I loused it up. I didn't mean to steal, but it was the only thing to do, the only way I had.

[Joe Friday]

Now, wasn't there some other. No.

[Frank Smith]

No, there wasn't. All the time, the other kids laughing all the time, talking. I just couldn't stand it anymore. I just couldn't.

[Joe Friday]

Here you go.

[Frank Smith]

Thanks. You can understand it, can't you? It makes sense.

[Joe Friday]

What's that, son?

[Frank Smith]

Wasn't so much the kid saying I was little.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Frank Smith]

But I didn't want her to think I was small.

[Joe Friday]

12:36Am we contacted the parents of the Graham boy and asked them to come down to the station. We talked to them for an hour and tried to fill them in. In view of the fact that the parents of the subject were responsible persons, the boy was booked for violation of section 459pc delinquent. And he was released to his parents pending his hearing in juvenile court. Five days passed and we heard nothing from the boy. On December 24th, Frank and I checked into the office. Friday. Kid in the back wants to see you in Smith. Okay, thank you.

[Frank Smith]

Hi, Mr. Friday.

[Joe Friday]

Well, hello, Elroy. What can we do for you?

[Frank Smith]

Well, I guess you think it's kind of funny.

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Frank Smith]

I want to tell you that I sure think it's good what you did for me. Helped me with that burglary thing the other night.

[Joe Friday]

Well, it isn't over yet, son. The court still has to make a decision on it.

[Frank Smith]

Yeah, but what you did to make me feel better. As far as I'm concerned, whatever the judge decides, I'll go along with it. I had a long talk with my folks, so we got it all talked out. All the way talked out.

[Joe Friday]

Well, that's good, son. We're glad of it, son.

[Frank Smith]

Maybe you guys won't like it, I mean, me knowing you such a short time and all, but I wanted to bring you these. Merry Christmas.

[Joe Friday]

Well, that's awful nice of you. All right, but it isn't necessary.

[Frank Smith]

I want to give them to you anyway for what you did for me.

[Joe Friday]

Well, that's mighty nice of you. All right. Sure appreciate it.

[Frank Smith]

Couple of packages of cigarettes. Hope they're the kind you smoke.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, son, they'll be fine. Thanks, son.

[Frank Smith]

Well, see you guys around, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, sure, son.

[Frank Smith]

Just one more thing, Sergeant.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, son?

[Frank Smith]

Just thought you'd like to know.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, what's that?

[Frank Smith]

I didn't steal those.

[Joe Friday]

The story you have just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On 21 December, a petition was filed in Juvenile court on behalf of the subject. On January 26, trial was held in Department 52 of Juvenile Court, State of California, in and for the county of Los Angeles. In a moment, the results of that trial. Now, here is our star, Jack Webb. Thank you, George Fenniman. Friends, Thanksgiving is traditionally a time when families and friends get together. And I'd like to make this suggestion. Tomorrow, get a couple of cartons at Chesterfield's. You'll be all set for Thanksgiving and the weekend. We know you, your family and guests are sure to enjoy America's most popular two way cigarette. Chesterfield regular and King size. Best for you, Elroy. Merton Graham appeared before the Juvenile court where he admitted the alleged burglaries. At this time, under the counsel of the judge of the juvenile court, the subject was placed under the care of the probation department for a period of three years with the provision that his parents take him to a competent psychiatrist. Ladies and gentlemen, don't forget your letter carrier when he makes a special trip to call on you for muscular dystrophy. Reach in your pocket, give for muscular dystrophy. You have just heard Dragnet a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the office of Chief of Police W.H. parker, Los Angeles Police Department Technical Advisors Captain Jack Donohoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, Sergeant Vance Brasher. Heard tonight were Ben Alexander, Jack Prusian, Olin Soule, Samoy OG Script by John Robinson Music by Walter Schuman Hal Gibney speaking. Watch an entirely new Dragnet case history each week on your local NBC television station. Please check your newspaper for the day and time Chesterfield has brought you Dragnet. Transcribed from Los Angeles have you tried new cork tip Fatima? It's the smooth smoke with Fatima tips of perfect cork king size for longer filtering and Fatima quality for a much better flavor and aroma. Fatima is made and guaranteed by Liggett and Myers Tobacco Company. Try Fatima today.