Ep365 | "The Big Present"

Summary

Dragnet | "The Big Present" (Ep365)

Air Date: June 19, 2019
Host: OTR Gold
Original Air: NBC Radio Network

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Episode Overview

Theme/Purpose:
This episode follows Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Frank Smith as they investigate a string of 18 market burglaries in Los Angeles. All clues point to a mysterious thief dubbed the "milk bottle kid," so named for consistently leaving empty milk bottles at the scene. The detectives' pursuit ultimately leads them to a troubled juvenile whose motivation reveals a deeper story about loneliness, the desire for acceptance, and the spirit of the holidays.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Pattern of Market Burglaries

[00:08–04:04]

• Friday and Smith discuss with Sgt. Lindsey Simmons a series of 18 unsolved market burglaries.

• The only clues: petty theft (candy, cash, cigarettes) and an empty milk bottle left at each scene.

• The detectives consider the possibility of a juvenile, given the small size of the entry points and the items taken.

  Quote:

  "Every job he pulled, we found an empty milk bottle on the counter. ... Well, milk and kids go together."
  — Joe Friday (02:42)

2. Crime Scene and Investigation

[04:04–08:02]

• At the scene of the latest burglary, Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician) reports minimal fingerprints.

• The thief was small enough to slip through a window measuring approximately 9.5" x 12.75".

• The burglar took only small items and neglected significant amounts of cash, leading detectives to further suspect a young perpetrator.

  Quote:

  "You know anybody that can climb through a 14 by 10 inch hole, you trot him up and we'll talk to him."
  — Joe Friday (03:08)

3. The Rolling Stakeout

[08:02–11:16]

• With no hard leads, Friday and Smith initiate a rolling stakeout with added patrols, focusing on the thief's pattern (burglary every Friday or Saturday night between 8PM and midnight).

• The episode includes relatable conversation about Frank’s home life, adding human depth and a touch of humor.

  Quote:

  "This may mean the end of my home ... She doesn't even open it. Just puts it in the closet."
  — Frank Smith, about his wife's reaction to a birthday present (10:27)

4. The Arrest

[11:16–13:31]

• During a stakeout, the detectives catch a young boy in the act of breaking into a store.

• The boy attempts to flee but is apprehended. He's uncooperative and challenges the officers to "go on and kill me", expressing clear emotional distress.

  Quote:

  "Go ahead and shoot. Go on and kill me. ... Doesn't matter anymore."
  — Juvenile Suspect (11:48)

5. The Interrogation and Confession

[13:31–21:48]

• At the Georgia Street Juvenile Bureau, Friday and Simmons struggle to get information from the boy, who is obsessed with reporters and the idea that his story is "front page" material.

• Using a ruse (introducing Sgt. Simmons as a "reporter"), the officers finally uncover the boy's motivations—he committed the burglaries to feel "big" and important, having always felt small, excluded, and bullied.

• The boy, Elroy Grant (Graham), admits to 19 burglaries, seeking fame and recognition.

  Quotes:

  "I did it to be big. That's why I had the things other people wanted ... made me important."
  — Elroy Grant (Juvenile Suspect) (20:54)

  "Couldn't even lie right. Can't even tell a lie good ... All my life I've been trying to be like other kids."
  — Elroy Grant (19:46)

6. The Aftermath and Redemption

[21:48–23:52]

• The detectives contact Elroy's parents, who are described as responsible.

• The boy is released to his parents while awaiting a hearing in juvenile court.

• On Christmas Eve, Elroy returns to thank the detectives, offering them the only "present" he can give: cigarettes, symbolizing gratitude and closure.

  Quotes:

  "Maybe you guys won't like it ... but I wanted to bring you these. Merry Christmas."
  — Elroy Grant (Juvenile Suspect) (23:11)

  "Just thought you'd like to know. I didn't steal alone."
  — Elroy Grant (Juvenile Suspect) (23:52)

7. Epilogue—The Verdict

[24:01–25:29]

• The narrator details Elroy's fate: he is placed under probation for three years, with the stipulation his parents seek psychiatric guidance for him.
• Names are changed "to protect the innocent," staying true to the Dragnet style.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the milk bottle clue:
  "Milk and kids go together. Sure, so does milk and ulcers. Maybe your thief's got the bull horrors when he gets into the store."
  — Sgt. Lindsey Simmons (02:50)
• On motivation for the burglaries:
  "I did it to be big. ... That's why I wanted my picture in the papers. So the kids would know I'd done something big."
  — Elroy Grant (20:54, 21:02)
• On holiday spirit:
  "Maybe ... I wanted to bring you these. Merry Christmas."
  — Elroy Grant (23:11–23:20)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:08: Episode opens with the investigation summary
• 02:40: The "milk bottle" clue is discussed
• 05:04: Arrival at the crime scene and findings
• 08:02: Victim interview and establishment of suspect’s pattern
• 11:16: Stakeout and apprehension of suspect
• 12:45: Interrogation at Georgia Street; suspect's resistance
• 15:52: Arrival at Juvenile Bureau; plan to impersonate a reporter
• 17:12: Suspect reveals name and confession begins
• 19:58–21:48: Emotional confession; suspect shares underlying struggles
• 22:34: Aftermath, parent meeting, Christmas present
• 24:01: Court outcome and final narration

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Overall Tone and Style

The episode maintains the signature Dragnet tone—detached, procedural, and earnest—while moments of humor and empathy are woven in, particularly through Frank Smith's personal anecdotes and Friday’s compassionate questioning. The dialogue expertly balances the dogged, methodical approach of the detectives with poignant glimpses into the struggles of a lonely boy seeking acceptance.

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For New Listeners

• This episode stands out for its blend of crime drama and heartfelt holiday message, revealing the complex human emotions at the heart of even the most procedural police work.
• Elroy’s longing for importance and acceptance is as universal as it is tragic, while the detectives' mix of skepticism and understanding exemplifies Dragnet’s authentic, humane perspective.

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Find more classic radio at OTRGOLD.COM.

Transcript

[Joe Friday]

You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned the 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, Dragnet.

[Narrator]

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.

[Joe Friday]

It was Monday, December 14th. It was cold in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of 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. It was 8:05am when we got to Georgia Street Juvenile Bureau. Sergeant Lindsey Simmons office.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Yeah. Well, did you give it to him?

[Joe Friday]

Huh? Yeah. What'd he say?

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Yeah, when he come back, huh? Well, did he have it for you?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Well, that'll teach you not to go that route anymore. All right, Patrick, tell the sergeant to call me when he gets back.

[Joe Friday]

Right.

[Narrator]

Hi, Friday.

[Joe Friday]

Smith, how are you? Lindsay? Morning, Sergeant.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Just talking to Gene Patrick over Highland Park. You know him?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I met him a couple times.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Picked up a youngster a couple of days ago on suspicion of burglary. Brought him into the office and Patrick talked to him.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Well, he finally bought it. But the kid didn't have anything to do with the thefts. He told him to go home.

[Joe Friday]

Uh huh.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

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.

[Joe Friday]

Did he?

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Yeah, he came in this morning, gave Patrick two dimes, told him thanks for believing the story.

[Joe Friday]

Then Patrick got the kicker.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Kid really did break into a house last night to get the money.

[Joe Friday]

What's Patrick got to say about that?

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Says the kid's honest in a shorter way. Did pay him back.

[Joe Friday]

Where's the youngster now?

[Narrator]

Cut him over Highland Park.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

You and him.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

I better call Gene.

[Joe Friday]

Maybe I can give him a hand. I got a couple of streetcar tokens I won't be using. Might like to have them.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

I'll hold it. If I was you, I don't think I'd bring it up to him for

[Joe Friday]

a couple of days.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Well, what can I do for you too?

[Joe Friday]

Well, Lindsey, we've been working on a string of burglaries. You maybe got the word on them?

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

I don't think so. What's the story.

[Joe Friday]

Bunch of store burglaries. Papers are tagged in the milk bottle job.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Oh, yeah?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Seems Hartgrove was telling me something about them the other day. Where did we come in?

[Joe Friday]

Well, the way the jobs look, we've been thinking that maybe belong in your department instead of ours.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

How do you figure that?

[Joe Friday]

First off, the milk thing.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

What do you mean?

[Joe Friday]

Every job he pulled, we found an empty milk bottle on the counter. Okay, what's that? Proof. Well, milk and kids go together.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Sure sort of milk and ulcers. Maybe your thief's got the bull horrors when he gets into the store.

[Joe Friday]

No, Lindsey, 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.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Maybe he's left a maniac. Got a lot of them on the books. Maybe that's the way he gets his kick.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, that's a nice try, Lindsey. If you know anybody that can climb through a 14 by 10 inch hole, you trot him up and we'll talk to him. Okay?

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

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

[Joe Friday]

turn over to you. Now, look, we're not trying to palm this thing off on you, Lindsey. We've had the stat's 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. I figured that maybe you could come up with some answers for us.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

It's a new one on me, Joe. This milk that. 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 a night watch.

[Joe Friday]

Well, appreciate anything you can do.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

No trouble. Been running you ragged on this, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Pretty rough. Just that we can't seem to be able to come up with anything that adds. Yeah? Excuse me. Yeah?

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

George's rejuvenator, Sergeant Simmons.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Yeah, they're here. Which one?

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Okay, hang on.

[Joe Friday]

I'll see you.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Julia Rogers.

[Joe Friday]

Thank you. Friday. Talking. Yeah, right away. What's the address? Yeah, No, I got it. We'll leave right away. Who? Yeah, call him. Thanks. Come on, let's go. The milk bottle kid. He hit again. The call had come from Lieutenant Ginder in Burgery. He told us that he'd just gotten a call from a storekeeper named Marty Darabertis. The man had called to report a burglary at his store at the corner of Jackson and Broadway Street. 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 delicate castle 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?

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Usual thing.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Bottle of milk on the counter. You want to check it over?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Come on back here.

[Joe Friday]

Chief made his entrance back here at the rear of the store.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

That is broke out the window pane.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Not very big, huh?

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

That measures nine and a half by twelve and three quarters.

[Joe Friday]

No alarm on the window, huh?

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Yeah, I can see the wires. Here, take a look.

[Joe Friday]

Oh, yeah. How come the alarm didn't go off?

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

I talked to the owner.

[Joe Friday]

He said he's had trouble with the

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

alarm system last couple of weeks. Called the company and asked him to fix it.

[Joe Friday]

He thought it was okay.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Guess there's something wrong. Some place didn't work last night.

[Joe Friday]

What kind of alarm was it, Ray?

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Pride on the building. You know the kind.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. What'd he take this time, Rick?

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Usual Ron of stuff. According to the owner, they're about four cartons of cigarettes missing several boxes of candy. Can't be absolutely sure, so he's got

[Joe Friday]

to check his stock.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Be better if you talk to him on that.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, we will. We'll catch him later.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Wanna wait a minute? I'll check and see how the boys are doing on the print. Have him check the counter and milk bottle.

[Joe Friday]

Fine. Thanks, Ray. Be right back. Bye. I only wonder when we're gonna blow the whistle on this guy. I don't know. Can't do it fast enough for me. I'm with you. Hey, Joe, look at this. Yeah, 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. I remember last summer I was up 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?

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Yeah.

[Joe Friday]

He and I were down to Cookie's Bar for lunch. Cookie had some of this for Mommy. Sliced like paper. You could almost read through it. That's the way it's supposed to be. I know, Joe. Anyway, Cookie sliced up a bunch of it, served it with cold crack crab. Boy, I never tasted anything so good in my life. Don't you ever read the newspaper through slice salami? Yeah, I never have. Have you? All the time. Just the funnies. Well, anyway, Faye tried to find them for me. Salami like 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 when she got them home. Never forget old Cookie. And that's bread. 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, Joe.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Yeah, sure.

[Joe Friday]

Gotta buy some of these before we leave. It's my cookiehead. Yeah. This place is powdered, Joe. Yeah? Nothing.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Whoever it was drank the milk. He took the bottle out of the refrigeration compartment. Bottle sweated and there isn't a pin on it we can lift.

[Joe Friday]

Too bad. None of many places we've gone over

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

the place from top to bottom there. We can't find them.

[Joe Friday]

That's not much help, is it?

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Came up with one thing. Maybe you can make something out of it.

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Outside the window in the back parking lot. Came up with an open package of cigarettes. Don't know if it belonged to the sea.

[Joe Friday]

Anything on it? No.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Fog last night ruined any prints that were on it. Boys have got it if you want.

[Joe Friday]

Well, we take a look at it. Looks like everything's against us, huh? Another blank.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

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.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, we've been saying that for weeks. This is either the smartest thief I've

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

ever seen or the luckiest. What's this make for him?

[Joe Friday]

Number 19.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

All the chances to take for nothing. He's not getting anything out of the job.

[Joe Friday]

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 merch until he 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 attempts to break into it. We made a canvas of the neighborhood and talked to 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 night, 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 oper Four other cars from Metro reserves were assigned to work with us. For the next five nights, we worked without result. 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.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Why?

[Joe Friday]

What's the matter? How many rooms in your apartment, Joe? Three. You know that. You've been there? Yeah. That 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 fig sausages. Nice, you know? Yeah. I come down to the table, she's got 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 work every night this week. What's wrong with that? That's the way I figure it. So I got a way out. Y Today is Faye's birthday. You didn't tell me. It's not good to tell people, Joe. Oh, it isn't? No. Faye'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. Faye's over 30, Joe. She's getting to the point where she's taken off years. See, how can you give a person a last birthday present? Yeah, I tell you about it, they'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 gonna 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. You may not, but meet back in the house tonight. Well, you can apologize when you get home. I don't know, Joe.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Faye's pretty sore.

[Joe Friday]

Didn't even open the present. I'm gonna peep. Huh?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Listen.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah. Tell where it's coming from. Yeah, it sounds like up on 7th. Come. Yeah, right here. Pull up. Come on.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

I'm gonna take the front.

[Joe Friday]

All right. Hey, hold it up there.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Police officer.

[Joe Friday]

Stop or I'll shoot. Frank. You come around your way.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Okay.

[Joe Friday]

Take it easy.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Go ahead and shoot. Go on and kill me. Go ahead, Shoot me. Doesn't matter anymore.

[Joe Friday]

Everything all right? Yeah, just kid. Joe. Oh. See? What are you doing in the store, son?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

What do you think I'm doing?

[Joe Friday]

He asked you a question, son.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Pretty stupid. What do you think I was doing?

[Joe Friday]

How many stores you broken into, son?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Figure it out for yourself.

[Joe Friday]

Look, what do you got, a chip on your shoulder?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Joe Friday]

All right, boy, you call 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.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

What difference does it make?

[Joe Friday]

Acting like that isn't gonna help you.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Me? Maybe he should have pulled the trigger.

[Joe Friday]

Look, son, what's the matter with you? Why are 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?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Kill them, the kids. That'll make you a big man.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

That right?

[Joe Friday]

You ever been arrested before?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

No.

[Joe Friday]

Never been in trouble with the law.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Joe Friday]

how old are you?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

What difference does that make?

[Joe Friday]

How old are you?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

You figure it, all right.

[Joe Friday]

You look like you're about 11 to me.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

That's what everybody thinks. Be 15 my next birthday.

[Joe Friday]

Don't kid us, son.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Mr. Trump. 15. That's what I'll be, 15.

[Joe Friday]

When were you born?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

1939. November 2nd.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Why do you say that?

[Joe Friday]

Aren't you?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Huh?

[Joe Friday]

Your size. Is that a sore point?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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.

[Joe Friday]

Now, come on, son. What's your name? Now, look. You know we're going to find out.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

How are you gonna find out?

[Joe Friday]

We will. I won't let you. Save us all a lot of time and tell us the truth Here. Be better if you did.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Joe Friday]

Not from us.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Can't tell you that.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

That's the way it is.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Maybe that's the way it looks to you.

[Joe Friday]

Where do you live?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Can't tell you that either.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Where are we going?

[Joe Friday]

Georgia Street.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

That's where the jail is.

[Joe Friday]

Why do you ask that?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Because I want to know.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, there's a jail there.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Reporters.

[Joe Friday]

What?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

They're going to be reporters.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Joe Friday]

Sometimes.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Well, you get the reporters all lined up. You get them from all the papers. You have them, Darren. 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]

Look, let me get this straight.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

What?

[Joe Friday]

You say you weren't going to give us any information without the press being there, Is that right?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Joe Friday]

Well, you got it wrong, boy.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

What?

[Joe Friday]

Doesn't make any difference who's there, you're going to come around.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Yeah?

[Joe Friday]

We'll find out. 12:10am we got the 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.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

It's a seedy looking place.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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. Hey, Frankie.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Working kind of late, aren't you?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, we are.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

I got the note from Simmons on the milk burglary. Checked around the night wise.

[Joe Friday]

Nothing on it, so I didn't call you. I don't think you have to worry about it. I think we got the answers. 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.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Where is he now?

[Joe Friday]

Frank's got him down the hall. You think he's your boy? It looks like it. Everything Adds up the entrance. What? He tried to take the milk all along? Seems to fit.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

You got that kind of a case? What are you worrying about?

[Joe Friday]

There's two things. Yeah? Who he is and why it is you want to tell it. 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.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Joe, you know the policy.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, I do. He won't let us help him.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

If he wants publicity, take me down,

[Joe Friday]

introduce me as a reporter. Now, that might do it.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Won't do any harm to try. Let's go.

[Joe Friday]

Go ahead. Thanks.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Who am I gonna be?

[Joe Friday]

Well, tell me. Sid Hughes from the Mirror, huh?

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

You might as well be wanting a good one,

[Joe Friday]

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 mayor. All right.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

You felt that held that guy on a phone in Baltimore?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

What makes you think you got it coming? You break into one store and try

[Joe Friday]

to steal a couple of cartons of cigarettes. That doesn't make the first page.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

I don't know, my babe.

[Joe Friday]

Couple things we better get straightened out here. First off, what's your name?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

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

[Joe Friday]

I'll get it.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Joe Friday]

How old are you?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

I told you once, almost 15.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Yeah. 19 might have made him more, but something went wrong tonight. Had trouble with the burglar alarm. Thought I'd turned it off. Bad mistake. He'd still work 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?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

What?

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Sure. Good reason? Real good.

[Joe Friday]

All right, tell us.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Well, you see, I always had trouble at school. Never seemed to quite make it. All the guys like me. We 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.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Well, they wanted me for all the teams. Football, basketball, all the time. Ask me to play. But I figure 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?

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Go ahead.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

That's the way it was with me all the time. Turned down office to be on some team. Telling some girl 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, a lot of people read it. You know what I mean, don't you? Well, 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?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

You don't believe me?

[Joe Friday]

Afraid not.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

How about you?

[Joe Friday]

No, son, I don't.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Mr. Hughes.

[Joe Friday]

No.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

They brazenly. 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. Oh, 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. You want to tell us about the burglary?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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 papers. That's why I wanted the story. So the kids would know that I'd done something big. So they know.

[Joe Friday]

All right, son. It's gonna be all right here. No. It is.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Like everything else I tried to do, I roused 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.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Joe Friday]

There you go.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Joe Friday]

What's that, son?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Joe Friday]

Yeah.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Cause I didn't want him 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 459, delinquents. 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.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

Darryl, get in the back.

[Joe Friday]

Let's see you in Smith. Okay, thank you.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Hi, Mr. Friday.

[Ray Pinker (Crime Lab Technician)]

Hello, Roy.

[Joe Friday]

What can we do for you?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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

[Joe Friday]

What's that?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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 topped down, all the way talked out.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

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 isn't necessary.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

I want to get them clean anyway for what you did for me.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Couple of packs of cigarettes. Hope they time to smoke.

[Joe Friday]

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

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Well, you guys around, huh?

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, sure, son.

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Just one more thing, Sergeant.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, son?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

Just thought you'd like to know.

[Joe Friday]

Yeah, what's that?

[Elroy Grant (The Juvenile Suspect)]

I didn't see a loan.

[Joe Friday]

The story you have just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent.

[Narrator]

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

[Joe Friday]

trial,

[Narrator]

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. 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 Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, Sergeant Van Fraser. Heard tonight were Ben Alexander, Jack Crucian, Olin Soule, Samoyag. Script by John Robinson. Music by Walter Schumann.

[Joe Friday]

Hal Gibney speaking. Transcribed from Los Angeles Dragnet is an NBC Radio Network production.

[Sergeant Lindsey Simmons]

You've been listening to the OTR Gold Network. Find more classic [e-mail].