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Your message amplified. Ready to share your message with the world? Start your podcast journey with Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. Podbean. The AI powered all in one podcast platform. Thousands of businesses and enterprises trust Podbean to launch their podcasts. Launch your podcast on Podbean today. My school uses Podbean. My church too. I love it. I really do. 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 donating@ChoiceClassicRadio.com Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Dragnet, you're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a burglary detail. For the past several weeks, a gang has been breaking into neighborhood stores. Routine investigation fails to turn up any kind of a lead. Your job, find one. 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 Tuesday, March 20th. 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 from the office and it was 9:47am when we got to the third floor of the Verrell Arms Hotel. Room 314. Sure dark. Want to try it again? Yeah. Sounds like somebody's moving around. Who is it? You Jed Nagel? Yeah, why? Police officers would like to talk to you. I ain't done nothing wrong. There's no reason to rouse me. You want to open the door? All right. Come on in. I just got up. Yeah. You alone? Yeah. There's nobody else, Frank. Yeah. That's the bathroom. I told you that there wasn't anybody else here. Well, you don't mind if we look around, do you? I do too. Mine. I don't like you cops coming around. You gotta ruined my reputation. People in the building gonna think you're friends. Well, now I'll tell you. We won't tell them if you don't. What do you want anyway? We got a report that you were down on East 5th last night. Is that right? Well, I don't know. All last night's kind of foggy. I don't remember where I was exactly. You Remember being downtown? I told you I didn't. Why? What are you trying to lay off on me now? Place is clean, Joe. I told you it was. Now, you want to fill me in on what this is all about? I would like to know what you were doing downtown last night. Well, how do I know? I had it worthless last night. Anybody else along with you? No, not that I remember. Remember being near the palace liquor store? No, not right off. I might have checked in though. I. I throw a lot of business their way. Why all the questions? Is there something wrong? We'd like to have you tell us. I like to help out, but there ain't nothing I can do. We got a field interrogation report that you were in the area, police car stopped and shook you down. Isn't that right? Ain't nothing new. I'm always getting stopped. Ever been arrested? Couple of times. What charge? Drunk. At all? Yes. Never stood anything heavier than drunk. Ever do any big time? No. Couple of months. Caste went up to, you know, take the cure. Didn't hold on, did it? No. No, nevermind. You. You don't happen to have an aspirin, do you? No, we don't. How about your friend here? He said we didn't. Oh, that's too bad. Sure could use one. Mind if I take a look in the bathroom? There might be something in there to take care of my head. Sure, go ahead. We checked your record before we came up here. That right? Yeah. Find out anything? Enough to know there's a warrant on you. For what? Seems you got two wives back in Texas. They're both looking for you. All right, now, come on, get your clothes on. Yeah. You want to tell me what this is really about? What? They didn't send two plain clothes cops down here to take me in on a bigamy charge. What's the real pitch? There was a burglary last night. Wondered if you had anything to do with it. Burglary? That's right. Not me. I haven't got the guts to get into something like that. That's what caused all the trouble with my women. What's that? All them all the time tell me I should get off the dime and do something. Morning, noon and all the time running off at the mouth about how I was lazy. I can't expect a man to take much of that. Come on, get your clothes on. You'll send me back to Texas. We don't know what's going to happen. We just have to take you in. Gee, I sure hope I don't go back. Woman's Nothing but trouble, mister. Nothing else. You remember. It must not bother you much, huh? You married two of them. Jed Nagle was taken to the main jail and held for the Texas authorities. A check of his actions on the previous night showed that he couldn't have committed the burglaries. 11:30. Frank and I checked by the office and then we went over to the crime lab. Ray Pinker was just finishing up his investigation. Come on in, Joe. Right. How's it going, Ray? Yeah, just wrapping it up. You got anything for us? Same as you had on the last three jobs. Here. Pictures are there. Take a look. No, they're still a little damp. Yeah. This is the entrance, huh? Yeah. It went through the wall from the barbershop into the bar. How'd they get in there? Barbershop? Yeah. Used a jimmy on the back window. Climbed in, went to work on the wall. Wonder why they didn't go right into the bar. Place is covered by an alarm system, Joe. Here. This is the box inside? Yeah, if they turned it off after they got emphasized. You got any prints? No. Went over all the windows, safe, bar itself. Didn't turn up. Anything you can use? What about the men themselves? Can you guess? Anything on them? Must have been at least two of them. Might have been three. How'd you come up with that? Footprints. They kicked up a lot of plaster when they went into the place. A lot of dust around. One of them wore a size 9 shoe and the other one had a size 7 and a half foot. Where'd you get the third man? A lot more of the smaller impressions. Either the little guy jumped around more or else there was someone to help make the prints. Anything else, Ray? We got some good pictures of the jimmy marks in the barbershop. If you come up with a tool, we'll be able to match it for you. What about the safe, Ray? Punch job, no class there, anything like that? How much they take this time? Owner guesses at about 5,000. Wouldn't it, Frank? Yeah. Gives them a total of what? Well, according to our figures, a little over 12 since they started working. Scoring good? Better than they think, huh? We've just about run out of leads. Frank and I have been all over town trying to scratch something up. None of them work out. Gotta be one someplace. Yeah, Skipper keeps telling us that. Corner pockets on his back. Bound to be. Yeah, I guess so. Doesn't make it any easier on us, though. You signed the application? Yeah. Well, thanks, Ray. If anything turns up, give us a call, will you? Sure, Joe. Isn't likely Though you've had it. You going back to the office? Yeah. Stats office should have those cards for us by now. Okay. Hope they're pointing somewhere. You better get in line, huh? Take it easy. Ray. Yeah. Drop around sometime. I'll pop for a lunch. We get this one cleaned up, we'll buy. You got a deal. My wife will go for that. Huh? She's been after me lose some weight. Looks like it'll be a long diet. Frank and I went back to City hall and checked with the Stats office. In the runs they'd made, they came up with cards on seven men who were known to have used the same method of operation in committing burglaries. We checked the list through R and I. Three of the possibles were still serving sentences in San Quentin. One of them had died and two were in Eastern jails. The seventh, a Norris Pauley, had a record listing four arrests and one conviction. His address was given as 4622 50th Street. We left the office and went out to check on him. The registered listed him as living in apartment 12. We walked upstairs. Should be on the left, huh? Yeah. Yeah, here it is. Let me try it again. Yeah, just a minute. Yeah? Like to see Norris, Paulie. Hey. Here. Where is he? Don't see where that's any business of yours. Police officers. What do you want to see Norris about? Better if we talk to him about that. Suit yourself. Don't make any difference to me. You mind if we come in? You can talk right out there in the hall. All right, Ms. Paulie, open that door. Take a jump, Sadie. What's all the noise? Lady, either you open that door or we will. All right, get out of the way, lady. All right, Paulie, hold her right there. You get out of here. You got no right to break in here like this. Oh, will you shut up, Sadie? I'm trying to do you a favor. And look what thanks I get. Well, who ask you? Now, go on, get out of here this time. I try to do anything for you last time. Yeah. Yeah, sure. Bye. Real harpy. Always trying to take care of me. Real harpy. All right. You know, she means good, but she doesn't know how to carry it off. Always trying to protect me. Yeah. What do you want to see me about? I want to ask you a couple of questions. Sure. I'll go along with you. No reason for me not to. What do you want to know? How come you're home? Where'd you expect to find me? You're on parole, aren't you? Well, you knew that before you asked the question. Supposed to have a job? Yeah, I got one. How come you're not working today? I see what you're getting at. I got a cold. Kind of virus infection. Figured I'd take the day off, get it all cleared up. I was in bed when you got here. That's the reason you had all the trouble. Your employer know where you are? Well, sure. I called him and told him I'm not trying to pull any deals. I've been punching the clock since I got out. I want to keep it that way. Where do you work? Parking lot downtown. Not killing the world, but I'm paying the rent. I got no beef. How do you spend your off time? What do you mean? When you're not working, what do you do mostly? Sit around the house, watch the tv. You go out, mate? No, not much. Maybe every couple weeks. Sadie, me. Go down to the Mexican place on the corner, have dinner, taking a show. That's about it. You've been out this week? What night? Tell us about all of them, will you? No. Go. I've been home every night. Can you prove that? Well, do I have to? It'll make you look better. Well, ask Sadie. She'll tell you. We'd be home together every night. Just sitting here watching the tv. What time do you go to work? I check in about seven. When you quit? 4:30. Once in a while, if it's crowded, I stay over. You work late this week? No. You can check that with the boss. He'll tell you. All right, we will. Well, what's this all about, huh? You guys are after something, aren't you? That's right. Well, why don't you tell me what it is? I hear stuff once in a while. Might be able to help you out. You see the old crowd anymore, North? Well, once in a while, they walk down the street. They nod, I nod. Nothing more. Now, what are you after? Tunnel jobs? You figured I might have a piece of that action, huh? Matches the way you work. No, it doesn't fit. I told you, I've been with the bucket since I got out. Even with taxes, I make more. You heard anything about who's working? It doesn't go out of this room. We won't take it. Okay. The boys found out I was giving you information. My insurance premiums sure go up real fast. Well, don't you worry about it. Now, what do you know? Where's it aren't? There's two guys. We had that going in. They pulled three jobs. Well, they Made it four. I don't know about the other one. It'll be in the papers. Uh huh. Got a name? No. Just heard that they were working. Where'd you hear? A fellow down on Seventh. He sells papers down there. We have a cup of coffee once in a while. He told me. You know where we can get a tattoo of them? Yeah, but it'd be better if you didn't, though. It'll lead right back to me. Sadie. Hey, wait a minute, honey. Where you going with the suitcase? I'm leaving you. Oh, come on. Isn't anything serious. You don't ever talk to me. Try to do you a favor and you take their side. I've had it from you, bum. Oh, come on, Sadie, don't be sore. Take your hand off of me. Baby, please don't be sore. I'm gonna tell you once more. Take your hand off of me. Look, I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, Satan. What you gonna hit me for? Because you're a bum. Don't go trying to get me to come back to you. I'm true this time. It's too bad, Paulie. No, it isn't. I've been trying to figure some way to get her to walk out since I got out of jail. Never been able to do it. I sure ain't. So I ought to buy you guys a drink for taking care of it for me. Only one thing that worries me is her big mouth. She's always talking. She might have heard me say, I'd give you a hand. She blabs that around, I'm in real trouble. You didn't give us any names. That doesn't make any difference. She gets to talk and she'll have me telling you the name of every hoodlum in town. Whether that gets around, I'm a gone duck. I gotta get after her Sadie and her big mouse. You're gonna get me in trouble. Well, makes you even then, doesn't it, huh? Yours kept you out of it. Before we left the apartment, we checked Paulie's story and verified the fact that he was not implicated in the burglaries. We drove down to the corner of 7th and Wild. We found the newsman Norris Paulie had told us about. We talked to him for about 15 minutes before we were able to convince him that he wouldn't get into trouble by giving us the information that he had. He told us what he knew about the tunnel burglaries. He was unable to give us a name of the suspect that he had in mind, but he did give us a description and the nickname Kiko. With this information, we returned to the City hall hall and checked the moniker file. There were several key codes listed, but only two that matched the description. The first one checked out clean. The second, a Franklin James Wig, WMA, 33 years old. Had done time in the state penitentiary as a cat burger. We contacted the state authority and found that Zwig was on active parole. From them we got his address. We went out to see him. It was a small, one story modern house built in the early 30s. The chrome railing up the front stairs was rusty and the paint on the front of the building was peeling. We rang the bell and waited. Yep. Your name's Wig? Yeah, that's right. Police officers. This is Sergeant Joe Friday. My name's Smith. What do you want me to do? Why don't you ask us in? That's all I was saying to you, that I want to get the carpets dirty. Let's talk. Come on, mister, get your coat. What for? I want to talk to you. About what? We'll tell you about it downtown. You make a charge or I ain't leaving the house. All right. Suspicion of burglary. You gonna drag that up again? We don't make the rules. Good time once in your life and the cops never get off your back. He should have thought of that going in. What good would it do you? Cops never learn. Well, you're not much of an example, are you? Upset? Me? You're probably going back for another course. Before we took the suspect downtown, we made a thorough search of his home. We found nothing to tie him in with the burglary. He was taken to the squadron and questioned for over an hour. During that time he'd say nothing. We booked in at the main jail and Frank and I checked out of the office the next day, Wednesday, March 21st. We had him brought from his cell. We talked to him in the interrogation room in the main jail. How long you guys think you're going to be able to hold me? Depends on when you decide to talk. Tell you what, cop, I'll make a deal with you. No deals. What do you mean? We don't want you. We want the guy who engineered the burglaries. Well, then why don't you let me go now? Want to make sure the story gets a play in the papers. Well, what's that gonna prove? Your friend will get worried. He'll figure you're gonna talk. Look, if I was mixed up in anything, I'm not, one way or the other. But if I was why should he get worried? Words out that he's the brains. Where's that from? All over town. It's not true. The way we got it. Stories around you went along for the ride. Other fella did all the brain work. Who said that? Everybody was talk to. Well, then, if everybody's talking about him, why ain't he here instead of me? Because he's a smart one of the pair. Somebody's got a fall, might as well be you. If he can pick up another partner, you tell me. The real scamp. The way we get it, not true. Well, he only got your word for that. All I know is, if I ever get in trouble, I'd want to make sure I had a pigeon waiting to take the beef. You're here, he's out. Now you tell me who's smart. How'd you get to me? Was in the books. Not like this. I fell for cat burglary. Nothing to do with tunnel jobs. Somebody had to blow the whistle, that's all. Sure you had no call to pick me up. Just right out of left field, you walk in. Who did it? Who made the call? Somebody did. Huh? Somebody pointed me out. 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. To turn your blog into a podcast. Use Podbean to distribute your podcast everywhere. Launch your podcast on Podbean today. It's been so long. How have you been? Hello. I'm doing well, Dave. Why. Why are you talking that way? Please say one for a compliment or two for a question. Yeah, this is weird. I think I'm gonna go. Talking with an automated phone tree can feel pretty ridiculous. That's why when you call Pacific Source Health Plans, you'll get a real person to answer all your important questions. Pacific Source Health. This is a real person. How can I help you? Human service, not automated phone trees. Find a plan@pacificsource members first.com. come on, I know who it was. You ain't gonna get him in trouble telling me. Somebody told you, didn't they? That's right. Oh, fits real good. Well, I tell you, this cop, I ain't that dumb. A lot of things I've done that I don't want anybody to know about. But I never blew the whistle on a friend. That's one Thing I didn't do. All that stuff about him being the brains. It's a lot of coconuts. He can't get into a phone booth without help. I figured the whole deal, it was me who said we'd had it and ought to stop. He wanted to keep going. That's why I left. When was this? Night before last. After we got through, he was sore because there was only a little over $4,000 in the box. We heard there was around 10. Yeah. Said he wanted to make a big score before we quit. Said to go together on one more. Told me what he wanted to do. I wanted no part of it. The guy's off his rocker. I left. What's he got in mind? You know. Wants to tunnel into a bank. You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action. We continue to talk to Franklin Sweden. From him we got a complete description of the second suspect and the name Lester Crowd. We checked the name through R and I, and we came up with a record for him. Listed were several arrests for purse snatching and suspicion of assault. In spite of the arrest, Crowell hadn't served any time in jail. We showed the mug shot in the package to Zwig, and we got a positive identification. We asked the suspect in custody where Kroll lived. He gave us an address on South Figueroa. But when we checked there, we found that Kroll had left without giving a forwarding address. We talked to all of the people listed in his packages. Having known the suspect, none of them could or would tell us where the man was. We questioned Franklin Zwig further, but he was unable to tell us what bank Kroll had in mind. We contacted Vernon of the bank of America, Frank Stumpf of the Security first national and other special agents of Southern California banks. They, in turn, notified the branch managers to be on the lookout for evidence of Crow working in their neighborhoods. Special MO Bulletins were put out to all officers in the city giving particulars on the methods the suspect was known to use. In addition to these, local broadcasts and APBs were gotten out on all suspects. For a week, the search dragged on. During that time, there were no further reports of attempted tunnelings and no sign of Lester Crow. Friday, March 30, 8:01am I checked into the office. Frank was waiting for me. Morning, old buddy. Hi, Frank. Beautiful day, huh? No, it's a little cold out. Yeah. But it doesn't make any difference to you, huh, buddy? No. No, it doesn't. You feel any different? Hmm? You feel any different today than you did yesterday. Are you all right? Never felt better. How about you, old buddy? Yeah, I'm fine. Hey, just a minute. I know what's wrong. You do, huh? Yeah. You didn't think I'd forget, did you? Listen, I don't even know what you're talking about. Ah, come on, old buddy. Just a minute. I'll get it. Got it right over here, right up on the top shelf. Brought it in myself. There you are, Joe. Wrapped it myself, too. Looks pretty good, huh? Yeah, I guess it does. I didn't have nothing to put on the top, so I found a couple of Christmas tree ornaments, put them on with a ribbon. That's nice. Come on, dig down in there. What is it? Go ahead, open it up. Got him. Yesterday, after lunch. Thought I wasn't ever gonna get you out of the way. Remember when I told you I was going out to buy a new hat? Remember? You know, Frank, I think maybe you made a little mistake. Oh, just take the top right off the box, Joe. Open it right up. All right. There. What do you think? Well, they're very nice, Frank. You bet. Police line slippers. Got a pair myself. Greatest thing in the world, a cold morning. Keep your feet warm, Joe. Police is warm, you know. Yeah, I got a pair myself. See the card? There's a card there. Open it up. Go on, read it. Go ahead. Out loud? Sure. This is the day that comes once a year the day your face does shine A happy day for one and all because today you're nine. Doesn't match too good, I guess. It's all I had at the shoe store. Happy birthday, Joe. You know, I just don't know what to say, Frank. Well, I know how you feel, old buddy. I understand. You're all kind of choked up, huh? Mm. Yes, I am. This isn't my birthday, you know. Oh, you choked up, huh? This is not my birthday, Frank. Well, that's the 30th, isn't it? March 30th. Yeah. My birthday's August 30th. Now, wait a minute, buddy. It can't be. I got it right here in my little book. Wait a minute. See? See right here. March 30th. Joe's birthday. I wrote that myself. You know my handwriting. March 30th. Yeah, you got the date right. But it's not mine. You kidding me, Frank? I know my own birthday, huh? It's funny. Must be somebody who do I know named Joe. I got it, Joe. Burglary, Friday. Yes, sir. 30th? That's right. August 3rd. Where is that I see. All right, sir. We'll be right out. Yes, sir, right away. Come on, old buddy. We got one to Roll on, huh? August 3rd, huh? I say we gotta roll. Let's go. Barry, over at the Street Department, we got a call this morning. Yeah? Looks like somebody's trying to dig a tunnel in the storm drain. Frank and I left the office and we drove over to the corner of Silver Lake Boulevard and McCollum Street. We met with Barry Falcon of the Street Department. He led us to a manhole in the middle of the intersection. He told us that there had been numerous complaints from citizens in the area that the COVID on the outlet kept rattling. When the Street Department checked it, they found that the cushioning material around the metal plate had been removed. It was replaced. But the next day there were several more calls. When the neighbors were questioned, they told of a man who arrived in the pickup truck about 2:30 in the morning. He'd lift the COVID and enter the storm drain before the daylight hours. He'd leave and he'd drive away. From the description they gave, it was possible that the repairman was from the Street Maintenance Department. But a check of their records showed that no crews were working in area. After talking with Falcon, Frank and I climbed down the ladder into the drain. We walked about 20ft up the tunnel and we found the reason that we'd been called. Barry tell you what's over us? Well, near as we can figure, it's the vault in the bank, isn't it? Sure isn't. Kidding. Take a look over here. Got all the equipment. Lamps, couple of drills. Yeah, he's not going to be able to use them unless he ties into an electric line someplace. I probably figured he'd run into one. What's that over there in the corner? We'll take a look. Can you see it? No. Better leave it alone. What do you got? He's got it all figured. What do you mean? The bottle over there? Yeah. Looks like nitroglycerin. The people in the immediate vicinity were shown the mud shots of Lester Crow. He was positively identified as the man who had worked in the storm drain. We asked about the truck, but none of the people could give us a good description of it. The employees in the bank were cautioned and Frank and I arranged for a 24 hour surveillance to be set up on the storm drain outlet. Two days passed without activity. And then on Monday, April 3rd, we waited in our car down the street from the intersection. 2:20am Another cup of coffee, Joe? Yeah. Wouldn't be bad Boy, sure gets cold this time in the morning. Say, I finally figured it out. What do you mean? Who Joe was. What's that? Here. God's hot. Yeah. Thank you, Joe. You know the name of my book? The birthday? Oh, yeah, yeah. It's our mailman. It's our mailman. It was his birthday. Oh, I got him one of those cards that says, we're sorry we forgot. You know the kind. We gave him the card and the card and the cigarettes. Old Joe sure got a kick out of it. Yep. Sure gets cold this time of the morning. Take a look. Yeah, I see it parking there. You see his face? Not from here. My legitar. Wait a minute. Even got a hook for the manhole cover. How do you like that? Watch it now. He's going under the light. It's him, all right. Let's let him get down in the storm drain. That way we'll be able to get him while he's working. That's right. Let him get in there. Okay. Okay, let's go. You want to give me a hand with a cover? Yeah. Here. Let's go. All right. Okay. Hold it up a minute. Give him a chance to get to work. Yeah. All right. Okay, let's go. Come on. All right. You sure? Not wasting any time. Probably figures on making the break this morning, huh? Take it easy now. Right. You seem good now. Sure going after all. Right, come on, let's take him. Come on. How about it? He's dead. Look at that. See up there? He ran into one of the power lines. Into the bank? Yeah. He almost made it, Joe. Couple of more inches, he'd have gotten in. You must have figured wrong someplace. Made a mistake somewhere. Yeah, when he bought that drill. The story you have just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On August 16, trial was held in Department 97, Superior Court of the State of California. In and for the county of Los Angeles. In a moment, the results of that trial. Franklin James Weeg was tried and convicted of burglary in the second degree, three counts, and received sentence. As prescribed by law. Burglary in the second degree is punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than 1 nor more than 15 years in the state penitentiary. At a coroner's inquest, the death of Lester Bruce Kroll was found to be accidental, occurring while in the commission of a felony. 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.