1
00:00:28,359 --> 00:00:35,520
Speaker 1: Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise, Idaho.

2
00:00:35,799 --> 00:00:39,920
This is your host, Adam Graham. In a moment, we're

3
00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:44,240
going to bring you this week's episode of Dragnet. But

4
00:00:44,359 --> 00:00:47,000
first I do want to encourage you. If you're enjoying

5
00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,359
the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software.

6
00:00:51,799 --> 00:00:54,240
And today's program is brought to you in part by

7
00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:58,479
the financial support of our listeners. You can support the

8
00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:00,840
show on a one time basis by mainly an a

9
00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:05,879
donation to Adam Graham Peelbox one five nine one three.

10
00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:10,560
That's peel Box one five nine thirteen Boise, Alaho eight

11
00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,879
three seven one five, and you can also become one

12
00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,079
of our ongoing Patreon supporters for his little last two

13
00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:22,040
dollars per month at Patreon dot Great Detectives dot net.

14
00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:27,239
But now, from October eleventh, nineteen fifty one, here is

15
00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:28,760
the Big Shoplift.

16
00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,519
Speaker 2: The story you're about to hear is true. The names

17
00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:54,319
have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant.

18
00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:58,359
You're assigned the burglary detail. A wave of shoplifting breaks

19
00:01:58,359 --> 00:02:02,079
out in your city. There's no pattern to the thieves operations.

20
00:02:02,239 --> 00:02:05,959
There are no leads weeks pass, the number of thefts

21
00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:18,599
keep growing. Your job stop them.

22
00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,680
Speaker 3: Dragnet the documented drama of an actual crime. While the

23
00:02:22,680 --> 00:02:26,240
next thirty minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department,

24
00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:28,759
you will travel step by step on the side of

25
00:02:28,759 --> 00:02:32,520
the law through an actual case transcribed from official police buyers,

26
00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,800
from beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is

27
00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:38,680
the story of your police force in action.

28
00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,599
Speaker 4: It was Tuesday, August twenty second, was hot in Los Angeles.

29
00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:50,159
We're working the day watch out of burglary detail. My

30
00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,719
partner's Ben Romero. The boss is Captain Wisdom. My name's Friday.

31
00:02:54,199 --> 00:02:56,560
It was two eighteen pm when we got to Anthony's

32
00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:01,400
Store for Women, the general manager's office. Mister Radio, come

33
00:03:01,479 --> 00:03:03,120
right in. Thank you, thank you.

34
00:03:04,319 --> 00:03:05,840
Speaker 5: My name is from Marrow said, I talked to you

35
00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,879
on the phone. This is my partner, Sergeant Friday, how earlier.

36
00:03:08,879 --> 00:03:11,000
How are you certainly glad to see him? Yeah, let

37
00:03:11,039 --> 00:03:12,400
me get another chair here.

38
00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:13,759
Speaker 4: Thank you very much.

39
00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,560
Speaker 5: I haven't had time for my have to lench cigarette

40
00:03:17,599 --> 00:03:27,680
yet you got to join me. I gotta like, oh, well,

41
00:03:28,599 --> 00:03:30,520
I guess you know what the problem is. No need

42
00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:31,960
for me to go all the way back and stuff

43
00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:34,039
from the beginning. I didn't get it quite clear on

44
00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:35,039
the phone, mister alliot.

45
00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:36,680
Speaker 4: When did this last thing come up?

46
00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,000
Speaker 5: Well, the way we have figured out, it must have

47
00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,879
happened around closing time yesterday between five five thirty.

48
00:03:41,919 --> 00:03:44,159
Speaker 4: We figured the store was pretty crowded at that time,

49
00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:44,439
was it.

50
00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:47,240
Speaker 5: Yeah, it's pretty busy with a special pre winter showing

51
00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:49,639
in the further department. No one noticed it was gone

52
00:03:49,759 --> 00:03:50,800
till after we'd closed up.

53
00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,120
Speaker 4: Can you give us a description of the piece of merchandise, auster.

54
00:03:53,960 --> 00:04:01,199
Speaker 5: Elia, Yes, yeah, we got it right, complete description, silver

55
00:04:01,319 --> 00:04:04,960
blue mink stole, saturn lining, two slash pockets, silver chain fastener,

56
00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:07,919
complete description of it for thank you.

57
00:04:08,879 --> 00:04:10,840
Speaker 4: These are the code numbers in the serial number signs.

58
00:04:11,039 --> 00:04:11,479
That's right.

59
00:04:12,039 --> 00:04:14,639
Speaker 5: The whole thing's getting way out of hand side and

60
00:04:14,639 --> 00:04:16,240
we had a lot of things lifted from the store

61
00:04:16,319 --> 00:04:18,040
the last few weeks, but nothing this big.

62
00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:20,319
Speaker 4: This keeps up. I don't see how we're going to

63
00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:21,600
get our insurance rem new.

64
00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,160
Speaker 5: I guess your store detectives you're working on this latest

65
00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:27,160
woman missing burn. Yes, but it's the same as all

66
00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:29,439
the recent cases we've had. They haven't been able to

67
00:04:29,439 --> 00:04:32,000
find a thing All the personnel have been checked. All

68
00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,439
the people who are around the depopping on the further stolen,

69
00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,600
I mean those it was possible to check on. As

70
00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:39,000
far as we know, they're all clear.

71
00:04:39,879 --> 00:04:42,360
Speaker 4: What were the circumstances of this thing? This really? I mean,

72
00:04:42,759 --> 00:04:44,759
was this mink stole on the display rack? Did one

73
00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:46,879
of the models have it on? Exactly? How was it? Well,

74
00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:47,600
it was model.

75
00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:50,600
Speaker 5: Yes, after we've shown the several parties, it was put

76
00:04:50,639 --> 00:04:52,639
back in Stark. We have a special rack for the

77
00:04:52,639 --> 00:04:56,079
stoles regularly and closed cabinet sliding doors on the cabinets

78
00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:58,439
usually open during the store hours. I see there was

79
00:04:58,439 --> 00:05:01,160
a store detective in the department of the time. All

80
00:05:01,199 --> 00:05:04,639
those salespeople are standing around. You didn't understand why one

81
00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:05,720
of them didn't see it happened.

82
00:05:06,480 --> 00:05:08,439
Speaker 4: Mister Allie, you say this is the first time an

83
00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:10,800
expensive item like this has been lifted from this door.

84
00:05:10,959 --> 00:05:13,920
That's right about the personnel, Miss Rellie, you say there's

85
00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:15,680
been a check made on each one of them since

86
00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,879
this thing started. Yeah, so that's correct, and there's no

87
00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:19,600
reason to be suspicious at all of any one of

88
00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:20,120
your people.

89
00:05:21,399 --> 00:05:23,720
Speaker 5: Well, as a matter of fact, there is one sergeant

90
00:05:23,759 --> 00:05:25,800
the sales girl. She was up in five in the

91
00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,519
sweet sixteen shop, and she was moved down to cosmetics

92
00:05:28,519 --> 00:05:29,240
on the street floor.

93
00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,319
Speaker 4: What is it to make you suspicious? Parry?

94
00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:35,360
Speaker 5: Well, before I say anything, I want to make it Perry.

95
00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:37,680
You're clear to you. We've never had any real proof

96
00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,160
that there was something wrong there. Directly started with us

97
00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:45,000
eight years ago. That's a girl's name, Doc Kirkin. She

98
00:05:45,079 --> 00:05:47,120
came to us right out of high school. Seemed to

99
00:05:47,319 --> 00:05:50,360
be doing all right that along with the customers, dress sneakly,

100
00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:54,120
always on time, and all of a sudden this shoplifting started.

101
00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:57,000
We didn't think there was any connection. For us, thought

102
00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:01,000
it was only coincidence. How do you manage it? Well,

103
00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:04,639
just for instance, they wait, amant, get the file on

104
00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:12,759
the right hand, and dead, I see, I am here

105
00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:16,120
it is. Out of the first fourteen items that disappear,

106
00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:18,920
six of them are out of Dorothy Kirkman's department, right

107
00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,160
out of her section, casuals, sweater's, expensive blouse as scarves.

108
00:06:22,759 --> 00:06:24,519
Speaker 4: So I say, at first we wrote it off to.

109
00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:28,680
Speaker 5: Coincidence, but it kept recurring. Her section almost seemed to

110
00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,600
be the focal point of all the shoplifting.

111
00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:32,639
Speaker 4: But that was at the beginning, of course, did you

112
00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,160
have the Kirkman girl watched Miss arling Ya as we did.

113
00:06:35,199 --> 00:06:36,759
The apartment had kept a NYE and.

114
00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:40,120
Speaker 5: Well, I guess Dorothy noticed that she resented it quite

115
00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:41,800
a bit, had a little spat with the head of

116
00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:45,079
the department. We thought it'd be best for everyone as

117
00:06:45,079 --> 00:06:48,519
she transferred, so we had to move downstairs to cosmetics.

118
00:06:48,879 --> 00:06:50,199
Speaker 4: How did that arrangement work out?

119
00:06:50,319 --> 00:06:50,519
Speaker 6: Well?

120
00:06:50,639 --> 00:06:53,240
Speaker 5: For the first few weeks fine, and we started missing

121
00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:55,839
things out of cosmetics. A lot of it didn't amount

122
00:06:55,879 --> 00:06:58,000
to too much. A lot of it did make up

123
00:06:58,079 --> 00:07:01,399
kids expensive perfumes. This time he called her in and

124
00:07:01,519 --> 00:07:03,680
tried to talk to her about it a nice way.

125
00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:05,279
He got very resonful.

126
00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:07,959
Speaker 4: She denied knowing anything about it. An yes, you are

127
00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:11,040
very upset of curus. There is one thing I will say.

128
00:07:11,519 --> 00:07:13,879
Speaker 5: The items and cosmetics are on display all over the

129
00:07:13,959 --> 00:07:16,879
contests felt easy for anybody to pick them up. The

130
00:07:16,959 --> 00:07:20,160
fact still remains as stealing began on her department upstairs.

131
00:07:20,519 --> 00:07:22,519
She moves over to cosmetics, and all of a sudden

132
00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:23,759
the losses increased there.

133
00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:27,839
Speaker 4: What would you figure, Yes, yeah, I see what you mean.

134
00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:29,800
Wonder if you could have somebody point out this Dorothy

135
00:07:29,839 --> 00:07:31,759
Kirkman for us. Miss Elia, I think, Mayane, we better

136
00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:33,120
have a talk with it and would like to help

137
00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:35,519
your size. And I'm afraid that's not possible. Oh what

138
00:07:35,519 --> 00:07:40,480
do you mean? She quit last Saturday. We got all

139
00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,040
the information available on Dorothy Kirkman from the store's personnel files,

140
00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:45,680
and then we called the office and gave him a

141
00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:48,519
description of the stolen fur. We asked them to check

142
00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:51,079
the Kirkman girl through and I she had no previous

143
00:07:51,079 --> 00:07:53,560
criminal record. Before we left the store, we went to

144
00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:56,399
the fur department, talked to all the salespeople concerned, but

145
00:07:56,439 --> 00:07:58,519
we were unable to come up with anything new regarding

146
00:07:58,519 --> 00:08:01,600
the theft of the silver blue minks. We drove out

147
00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,639
to Dorothy Kirkman's last known address. She wasn't at home,

148
00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:06,920
but her mother was. The mother told us that the

149
00:08:06,959 --> 00:08:09,240
day before her daughter had started on a new job

150
00:08:09,279 --> 00:08:12,000
as a salesgirl at the House of Raymond, and exclusive

151
00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,439
shop specializing in all types of cosmetics. We checked the

152
00:08:15,439 --> 00:08:17,319
phone book and found that the House of Raymond was

153
00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:20,319
located in the same ten blocks stretch along Wilshire Boulevard

154
00:08:20,319 --> 00:08:23,360
where the shoplifting campaign was going on. It was one

155
00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,120
of the few places along there that the thieves hadn't bothered.

156
00:08:26,959 --> 00:08:29,519
It was three blocks from Anthony's Store for Women, the

157
00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,919
Kirkman girl's former place of employment. Four or five pm,

158
00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,519
we located her behind one of the front counters. Across

159
00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:37,279
the aisle. Half a dozen women were listening to a

160
00:08:37,279 --> 00:08:41,320
makeup demonstrator giving a talk on complexion care. Dorothy Kirkman

161
00:08:41,399 --> 00:08:43,039
seemed pleasant and cooperative.

162
00:08:44,919 --> 00:08:47,120
Speaker 6: No, I don't mind telling you. I got sickond tared

163
00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:49,159
of being called a thief. That's why I quit Anthony's.

164
00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:51,039
A little event goes a long way.

165
00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:53,840
Speaker 5: You started working here at Raymond's yesterday, Miss Kirkman's error.

166
00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:56,240
Speaker 6: Yes, that's right. I think I'm going to like it

167
00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:57,320
a lot better than Anthony's.

168
00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:59,440
Speaker 4: M While you were working here at Anthony's, ma'am, I

169
00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:00,759
suppose you to. I heard that quite a bit of

170
00:09:00,759 --> 00:09:02,639
shoplifting was going on, so I.

171
00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:04,879
Speaker 7: Knew about it. I guess every girl in the store,

172
00:09:04,879 --> 00:09:06,840
and you're it. They had a big personnel meeting about it.

173
00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:09,519
Speaker 4: You have any suspicions of your own, Miss Kirkland, How

174
00:09:09,519 --> 00:09:11,000
do you mean that? Well? I mean, was there anyone

175
00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:13,039
in particular that you might have been a little suspicious?

176
00:09:13,039 --> 00:09:14,279
Of maybe one of the customers.

177
00:09:14,519 --> 00:09:17,519
Speaker 7: No, I've waited on some real weird ones, but I

178
00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:19,240
didn't see any of them ever try to walk out

179
00:09:19,279 --> 00:09:22,200
with anything. Well, I knew was what mister Elliott told

180
00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:22,879
us at that meeting.

181
00:09:23,039 --> 00:09:25,480
Speaker 5: Well, this might be an embarrassing question for you, mission,

182
00:09:25,519 --> 00:09:26,840
we'd appreciate an understanding.

183
00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,919
Speaker 4: Yes, what about the sales girls you worked with? Did

184
00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:32,519
any of them ever give you cass to be suspicions?

185
00:09:33,120 --> 00:09:34,679
Speaker 6: You mean, do I think any of them were doing

186
00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:38,240
the stealing? No, there was some of them I didn't like.

187
00:09:38,279 --> 00:09:40,399
I didn't trust him either, but I wouldn't accuse him

188
00:09:40,399 --> 00:09:43,639
of stealing. I wouldn't accuse anybody unless I had proved.

189
00:09:43,639 --> 00:09:44,720
That's more than I can say for.

190
00:09:44,759 --> 00:09:45,480
Speaker 8: Some people I know.

191
00:09:45,639 --> 00:09:48,000
Speaker 4: O'Brien, Any chance did you happen to be in Anthony's

192
00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:48,879
this past Monday?

193
00:09:49,279 --> 00:09:49,679
Speaker 9: Monday?

194
00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:50,320
Speaker 10: No?

195
00:09:50,519 --> 00:09:51,080
Speaker 6: Why did he ask?

196
00:09:51,279 --> 00:09:52,960
Speaker 4: When you were working on the fifth floor off the

197
00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,159
street at Anthony's? For I understand that when the merchandise

198
00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,679
first started disappearing, a pretty good percentage of it was

199
00:09:58,720 --> 00:09:59,480
out of your section.

200
00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:01,000
Speaker 6: That's what the toom he is.

201
00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:04,480
Speaker 4: And then when you were transferred downstairs to the cosmetics condor,

202
00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:06,759
quite a few things started disappearing from there. Now we'd

203
00:10:06,759 --> 00:10:09,399
like an understand heer, missus Kirkman, do you have any

204
00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:10,279
explanations at all?

205
00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:11,000
Speaker 11: Of us?

206
00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:12,919
Speaker 6: I'll tell you the same thing I told them that

207
00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,799
the store. Sergeant, I can't explain it, but I didn't

208
00:10:15,799 --> 00:10:16,399
have anything to.

209
00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:16,720
Speaker 11: Do with it.

210
00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:18,879
Speaker 5: Believe me, well, you don't have to admit miss It's

211
00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,080
pretty much of a coincidence, isn't it.

212
00:10:21,399 --> 00:10:21,799
Speaker 9: Sergeant.

213
00:10:21,879 --> 00:10:23,600
Speaker 6: You can call it anything you want to. I didn't

214
00:10:23,639 --> 00:10:26,159
have anything to do with it. The only thing I ever.

215
00:10:26,039 --> 00:10:29,240
Speaker 7: Took home from that store was my paycheck. Would you

216
00:10:29,279 --> 00:10:31,720
excuse me, please, customer, I have to win, yes.

217
00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:36,639
Speaker 4: Mainly, right, I have h What do you think? I

218
00:10:36,639 --> 00:10:39,480
don't know. It's a nice enough girl. Seems to be

219
00:10:39,519 --> 00:10:42,200
telling the truth. Could be a coincidence the way it

220
00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:48,519
worked out, nothing to prove otherwise. Four thirty eight pm

221
00:10:48,799 --> 00:10:51,600
we finished questioning the suspect, Dorothy Kirkman and Ben and

222
00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:53,360
I went back to the office and made arrangements to

223
00:10:53,399 --> 00:10:56,320
have the girl kept under temporary surveillance. A bulletin had

224
00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:58,799
been gotten out on the missing first stole. The pawn

225
00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:01,039
shop detail had been notable, and a description of the

226
00:11:01,039 --> 00:11:03,639
fur had been placed on the stolen property list. The

227
00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:06,559
following day, along with Sergeants Dick Rubles and Jim Taber,

228
00:11:06,919 --> 00:11:10,279
we continued our investigation of the latest shoplifting complaints. It

229
00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:12,679
went slow, a lot of leg work and no progress.

230
00:11:13,279 --> 00:11:15,440
Like the dozens of other items of merchandise which had

231
00:11:15,519 --> 00:11:17,440
vanished in the last eight weeks, there wasn't a trace

232
00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:20,480
of the missing fur stole. More men were added to

233
00:11:20,519 --> 00:11:22,799
the special detail on duty in the ten block area

234
00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:25,519
where the ceiling was going on. Anybody in the city

235
00:11:25,519 --> 00:11:28,399
who'd ever served time for shoplifting was checked and rechecked.

236
00:11:28,759 --> 00:11:31,360
Constant surveillance was maintained over a half a dozen known

237
00:11:31,399 --> 00:11:35,320
thieves who we figured might be involved. It got us nothing. When'sday,

238
00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:39,320
August twenty third, five thirty pm. No leads, no progress.

239
00:11:39,399 --> 00:11:41,639
We went back to the office.

240
00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,320
Speaker 5: I sure hope I get home before six o'clock. And

241
00:11:44,399 --> 00:11:45,840
I want to see that shoe.

242
00:11:45,639 --> 00:11:47,919
Speaker 4: Repair man out in our neighborhood. Oh, what's the matter?

243
00:11:47,960 --> 00:11:48,879
He needs some half soles.

244
00:11:49,039 --> 00:11:49,279
Speaker 10: No.

245
00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:50,960
Speaker 5: I went in his shop the other day and he

246
00:11:51,039 --> 00:11:52,879
conned me into a new set of art supports. As

247
00:11:52,879 --> 00:11:54,440
a matter of fact, he didn't even call him art

248
00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,000
support or do. He said they were meta carsals support,

249
00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:59,440
you know, support some men at Tarcon. Yeah, that's one

250
00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,039
of the bones on the foot. He saw me a

251
00:12:02,039 --> 00:12:03,639
pair of these things and told me I should wear

252
00:12:03,639 --> 00:12:05,360
only one of them in my rack shoe.

253
00:12:05,759 --> 00:12:08,240
Speaker 4: Now, what's the matter with that? Isn't it working out measurable?

254
00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:10,360
Speaker 5: I feel like I've been walking around with one foot

255
00:12:10,399 --> 00:12:10,960
in the bucket.

256
00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:23,399
Speaker 4: I checked the book. Okay anything?

257
00:12:23,799 --> 00:12:26,480
Speaker 5: Yeah, sure it is from Robus. What you got at

258
00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:28,399
mink fur? It's been found.

259
00:12:29,759 --> 00:12:32,679
Speaker 4: Two hours before, at approximately three thirty pm in the

260
00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:35,200
main depot of the Santa Fe Bus Lines, a thirty

261
00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,320
eight year old housewife, a Missus Harriet Briggs, noticed an

262
00:12:38,399 --> 00:12:40,799
unclaimed parcel lying on one of the benches in the

263
00:12:40,799 --> 00:12:43,919
depot waiting room. When it became apparent to Missus Briggs

264
00:12:43,919 --> 00:12:46,399
that the parcel was either lost or forgotten, she picked

265
00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:47,879
it up and took it to the clerk in charge

266
00:12:47,879 --> 00:12:50,960
of Lost and Found articles. In checking the package for

267
00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,480
some kind of identification, they discovered the silver blue mink

268
00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:56,639
stole inside. The car was dispatched to pick up the fur,

269
00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:58,919
and it was identified as the garment taken from Anthony's

270
00:12:58,919 --> 00:13:02,039
first salon. Missus Briggs volunteered to come along to the

271
00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:04,960
office to give what information she could. A steakout was

272
00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,039
placed at the bus depot in case anybody called for

273
00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:11,039
the package. Five point fifty pm we interviewed missus Briggs

274
00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:11,320
in the.

275
00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,080
Speaker 12: Squad room that's right Offster. It was just a little

276
00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,279
before three point thirty. I was in the bus depole

277
00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,480
there waiting for my husband. That's when I first noticed

278
00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:22,279
this package lying on the bench.

279
00:13:22,159 --> 00:13:23,000
Speaker 8: Just across from me.

280
00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:25,679
Speaker 4: I see, wou'd you go on pleasiness break.

281
00:13:25,879 --> 00:13:28,240
Speaker 12: I didn't think anything of it at first. I went

282
00:13:28,279 --> 00:13:30,639
on reading the afternoon paper. But no one came for

283
00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:34,120
the package. It was just lying there. Was there a

284
00:13:34,159 --> 00:13:34,639
long time.

285
00:13:34,799 --> 00:13:36,360
Speaker 4: How long would you say, ma'am? I mean before you

286
00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:37,759
pick it up and took it to the Lost and

287
00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:38,399
Fine clerk.

288
00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:41,960
Speaker 12: Oh, I'd say twenty minutes, uh.

289
00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:44,600
Speaker 8: Half an hour that much at least.

290
00:13:45,519 --> 00:13:47,759
Speaker 12: I left it with the young man at the counter there,

291
00:13:47,799 --> 00:13:49,399
and I told him I'd be back to see if

292
00:13:49,399 --> 00:13:54,399
anyone claimed it. Well, when I did get back, that's

293
00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:57,960
after I had dinner with my husband, Carl, we found

294
00:13:57,960 --> 00:13:59,440
out what was in the package.

295
00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,799
Speaker 8: Certainly strange, don't you think of yes.

296
00:14:02,759 --> 00:14:04,200
Speaker 4: Ma'am, did you happen to notice at all who it

297
00:14:04,399 --> 00:14:05,399
was it left the packager.

298
00:14:06,039 --> 00:14:08,879
Speaker 13: Well, I'm not really sure, officer, but.

299
00:14:09,799 --> 00:14:13,360
Speaker 8: I think I know who it was. A tall woman.

300
00:14:14,279 --> 00:14:16,039
She had a brown jacket.

301
00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:20,759
Speaker 12: If I remember rightly, I think you'd say she was

302
00:14:20,759 --> 00:14:21,759
in her early thirties.

303
00:14:21,799 --> 00:14:23,679
Speaker 4: Have you ever seen this woman before, Miss Brakes?

304
00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:28,600
Speaker 12: No, I never did very attractive, as I recall that

305
00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:29,519
she wore blackses.

306
00:14:29,639 --> 00:14:31,120
Speaker 4: Anything else about it you might have noticed.

307
00:14:31,519 --> 00:14:34,639
Speaker 14: I think she had blonde hair.

308
00:14:34,799 --> 00:14:35,840
Speaker 9: I remember that much.

309
00:14:36,519 --> 00:14:38,519
Speaker 12: The reason I do remember it is cause she wore

310
00:14:38,519 --> 00:14:40,320
it like I used to when I was a girl,

311
00:14:40,399 --> 00:14:43,960
you know, sort of back in in the bun like this.

312
00:14:44,679 --> 00:14:46,759
Speaker 5: And J're pretty sure that this woman you described as

313
00:14:46,759 --> 00:14:48,320
the one who left the packager.

314
00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:53,279
Speaker 13: I remember rightly she was the She's the only one

315
00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:57,080
that sat across from me. Yes, it must be her,

316
00:14:57,759 --> 00:14:59,320
but it wasn't her. I don't know who else it

317
00:14:59,360 --> 00:14:59,799
could have been.

318
00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,240
Speaker 4: All Right, Miss Briggs, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

319
00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:03,399
Speaker 9: That beautiful fur.

320
00:15:04,279 --> 00:15:07,679
Speaker 8: I know that woman must be just sick about loseness. Certainly,

321
00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:08,440
hope you find an.

322
00:15:08,399 --> 00:15:13,480
Speaker 4: Officer, yes, ma'am, so do we We had the Stat's

323
00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:15,559
office make a run for us and all females with

324
00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:17,960
shoplifting records who fitted the description of the woman who'd

325
00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:19,519
left the mink stole in the waiting room at the

326
00:15:19,519 --> 00:15:22,360
bus depot. The following morning, we checked with the men

327
00:15:22,399 --> 00:15:24,840
on steak out of the depot. They told us nobody

328
00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:27,720
had come back to report losing such a parcel. Together

329
00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,039
with Roubles and Tabor, we spent most of the day

330
00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:32,399
checking out the names on the list of known shoplifters

331
00:15:32,399 --> 00:15:34,440
which the Stats Office had made up for us. Names

332
00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,480
of possible suspects who physically resembled a tall, blonde woman

333
00:15:37,519 --> 00:15:40,600
seen at the depot. We got nowhere. Either they had

334
00:15:40,639 --> 00:15:43,600
ironclad alibis or they had since moved out of the city.

335
00:15:44,039 --> 00:15:46,639
We ran down every possible angle on the freak recovery

336
00:15:46,639 --> 00:15:49,720
of the missing fur stole. During the next ten days,

337
00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:52,559
the case got more involved than it already was. Some

338
00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,679
of the stolen articles of new merchandise began showing up,

339
00:15:55,919 --> 00:15:58,559
but not through any of the channels we expected. Some

340
00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:01,759
of the items were found Dumpton's sidewalk refuse cans, Some

341
00:16:01,799 --> 00:16:05,120
were found in hotel lobbies, in the post office, in theaters.

342
00:16:05,519 --> 00:16:08,480
Some were found tossed in vacant lots. The only logical

343
00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:09,960
answer we could figure was that it was the work

344
00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,480
of somebody who was stealing for just the love of stealing.

345
00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:16,320
I clept a maniac. Tuesday, September fourth, a fifteen year

346
00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,960
old girl in one of the exclusive residential neighborhoods reported

347
00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,679
finding two parcels containing women's clothing and expensive costume jewelry.

348
00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:25,039
They still had the price tags on them, and they

349
00:16:25,039 --> 00:16:27,759
totaled three hundred and sixty dollars. Ben and I drove

350
00:16:27,799 --> 00:16:30,759
out to talk to the girl of Patricia Denvers. Where'd

351
00:16:30,799 --> 00:16:33,320
you happen to find these things? For Trivia dy lot?

352
00:16:33,399 --> 00:16:35,440
Speaker 11: Right down the block there, I was on my way

353
00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:37,080
home from the show. I took the things home and

354
00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:38,679
showed my mother. She called the police.

355
00:16:39,759 --> 00:16:42,120
Speaker 9: Nobody claims it's package with a costume jewelry? Can I

356
00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:43,600
keep it? Certainly of beautiful?

357
00:16:43,759 --> 00:16:45,720
Speaker 4: Afraid not, miss. We know who the things belonged to.

358
00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:46,799
Were going to have to return them.

359
00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:48,960
Speaker 6: Oh, I certainly don't understand that.

360
00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:50,000
Speaker 4: Well, what do you mean?

361
00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:52,440
Speaker 9: As far as I could see, she threw the things away.

362
00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:53,879
I thought she didn't want What.

363
00:16:53,879 --> 00:16:55,320
Speaker 4: Do you mean who didn't want them?

364
00:16:55,799 --> 00:16:57,440
Speaker 9: Well, the lady who threw him in the empty lot?

365
00:16:57,559 --> 00:16:59,480
Speaker 4: You saw who it was that threw the packages in

366
00:16:59,519 --> 00:16:59,759
that lot.

367
00:17:00,279 --> 00:17:01,919
Speaker 11: Yes, I was on my way home from the show,

368
00:17:02,039 --> 00:17:04,160
just like I told you, I could see this lady

369
00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:06,240
walking up ahead of me. She was about a block away.

370
00:17:06,279 --> 00:17:08,480
I get when she went by the lot. I saw

371
00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:10,559
her take these packages from under arm and toss them

372
00:17:10,559 --> 00:17:13,480
in the grass. She wouldn't do that if she wanted them,

373
00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:14,160
would she did.

374
00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:15,559
Speaker 4: You get a good look at this woman, You have

375
00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:16,759
any idea what she looks like.

376
00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:20,400
Speaker 11: She's a good looking one. Tall, she's beautiful, blond hair.

377
00:17:20,519 --> 00:17:22,240
Husband's adoctor and you know who she is.

378
00:17:22,279 --> 00:17:23,240
Speaker 4: You've seen him before.

379
00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:25,440
Speaker 9: Well, I don't know where to talk to. I just

380
00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:26,480
see her in the neighborhood.

381
00:17:26,519 --> 00:17:28,440
Speaker 4: Does she live around here? Do you know that? Yeah?

382
00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:29,920
Speaker 9: All right next door to my girlfriend.

383
00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,279
Speaker 3: You are listening to dragnet Authentic stories of your police

384
00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:44,960
force and action.

385
00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:57,119
Speaker 4: Tuesday, September fourth, five, fifteen VM, with the help of

386
00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,960
the fifteen year old girl, Patricia Denvers, we got the

387
00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:01,920
name and address of the woman who had been seen

388
00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,799
tossing the parcels of stolen merchandise into a vacant lot

389
00:18:04,799 --> 00:18:07,160
in the west end of the city. The woman was

390
00:18:07,240 --> 00:18:09,960
identified as a Missus Virginia Sterling, the wife of a

391
00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:13,079
doctor Bruce Sterling, a fairly prominent young surgeon with offices

392
00:18:13,079 --> 00:18:16,839
in Beverly Hills. Missus Sterling and her husband had no children,

393
00:18:17,079 --> 00:18:19,799
at least a richly furnished apartment in the residential section

394
00:18:19,839 --> 00:18:21,839
of the city that was considered better than the upper

395
00:18:21,839 --> 00:18:24,839
middle class. We checked Virginia Sterling through our and IYE,

396
00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:27,039
but she had no previous criminal record that we knew of.

397
00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:30,279
Together with Sergeants Rubles and Tabor, we covered the various

398
00:18:30,279 --> 00:18:32,799
stores along Wilshire Boulevard that had been victimized in the

399
00:18:32,839 --> 00:18:36,599
recent shoplifting campaign. We found that Missus Sterling had charge

400
00:18:36,599 --> 00:18:39,880
accounts at almost every one of the stores. Generally speaking,

401
00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:42,160
we found her accounts in very good standing and among

402
00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,160
the store people she was regarded as what is referred

403
00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:46,680
to as a fine customer, a good spender, and a

404
00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:50,000
good credit risk. Right down to the retail Credit Association,

405
00:18:50,759 --> 00:18:53,559
there was nothing but favorable reports on the woman. Seven

406
00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:55,759
fifteen pm, Ben and I had a hamburger and some

407
00:18:55,839 --> 00:18:57,440
chili and a cup of coffee for dinner, and then

408
00:18:57,440 --> 00:18:59,240
we drove out to the apartment of doctor Sterling and

409
00:18:59,279 --> 00:19:02,240
his wife, Missus Sterling answered the door and invited us in.

410
00:19:02,599 --> 00:19:05,160
We identified ourselves. She told us the doctor was out

411
00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:07,279
on a call. She showed us into the living room,

412
00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:10,079
modern furniture and direct lighting, expensive rugs.

413
00:19:10,119 --> 00:19:11,319
Speaker 8: Won't you sit down, gentlemen?

414
00:19:11,559 --> 00:19:13,160
Speaker 4: Thank you very much? Should I get you a drink?

415
00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:15,359
I was just having my coffee and brandy? No, thank you.

416
00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:17,400
Speaker 8: I really don't know when the doctor will be back.

417
00:19:17,440 --> 00:19:19,039
He was called over to the hospital. Is there anything

418
00:19:19,079 --> 00:19:19,720
I can help you with?

419
00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:20,039
Speaker 4: Well?

420
00:19:20,039 --> 00:19:21,960
Speaker 5: As a matter of fact, Missus Sterling, we came out

421
00:19:22,039 --> 00:19:23,440
to talk to you, not your husband.

422
00:19:23,519 --> 00:19:25,799
Speaker 8: Oh really, what is it you wanted to talk to

423
00:19:25,799 --> 00:19:26,119
me about?

424
00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:27,880
Speaker 4: Sergeant ma'am well Man?

425
00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:29,640
Speaker 5: We understand that you do quite a bit of your

426
00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:31,839
shopping along Wilship Bulevard, Is that right?

427
00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:32,079
Speaker 4: Well?

428
00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:36,079
Speaker 14: Yes, I shop downtown quite often, except the problem of parking.

429
00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:37,480
Speaker 8: I find it a lot more than Senian.

430
00:19:37,559 --> 00:19:39,799
Speaker 4: Why do you ask, Missus Sterling? Do you do much

431
00:19:39,799 --> 00:19:41,799
of your shopping at Anthony's? I believe that's out in

432
00:19:41,799 --> 00:19:42,640
the Wheelshair district.

433
00:19:42,759 --> 00:19:45,200
Speaker 8: Yes, I do, for my sports clothes especially, they have

434
00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:46,039
a very good selection.

435
00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,440
Speaker 4: Would you remember if you were in Anthony's on the

436
00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:50,359
twenty second of last month? I believe that was a

437
00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:53,200
Tuesday on a Tuesday.

438
00:19:54,279 --> 00:19:56,079
Speaker 8: No, I don't think I could remember one way or

439
00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:57,240
the other. I really don't have.

440
00:19:57,200 --> 00:19:59,200
Speaker 14: Any special day for shopping. I just go when I

441
00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:00,759
feel like it I need something.

442
00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,200
Speaker 5: Have you ever been in a person line of Anthony's, ma'am?

443
00:20:03,279 --> 00:20:04,759
Have you ever made any purchases there?

444
00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,640
Speaker 14: I suppose I've been in almost every department of Anthony's

445
00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:09,759
at one time or another. I can tell you, though,

446
00:20:09,759 --> 00:20:12,200
I've never bought any freuds there. As I told you,

447
00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:13,880
the main reason I go there at all is because

448
00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:16,880
of their sports. Where could you tell me what this

449
00:20:17,039 --> 00:20:17,440
is about?

450
00:20:17,519 --> 00:20:20,119
Speaker 4: Please? Routine investigation, ma'am. I wonder if you could tell

451
00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:20,400
us this.

452
00:20:21,079 --> 00:20:23,200
Speaker 5: Do you have any occasion to travel in the area

453
00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,400
of the Santa Fe bus depot by bus?

454
00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,480
Speaker 14: No, I don't think I've been on a bus since

455
00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:31,839
well since I've been married, and that'll be six years

456
00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:32,720
it's coming December.

457
00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:35,640
Speaker 4: You've never been in the Santa Fe bus depot downtown.

458
00:20:35,799 --> 00:20:36,079
Speaker 8: No.

459
00:20:36,319 --> 00:20:38,400
Speaker 14: I think I know where it is. I've driven past it.

460
00:20:38,839 --> 00:20:41,519
I've never been inside, though. Why should you want to

461
00:20:41,559 --> 00:20:41,880
know that?

462
00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:44,720
Speaker 4: Well, Miss Sterling, We're gonna be honest with you. This

463
00:20:44,799 --> 00:20:46,880
has to do with an investigation we're on now. We've

464
00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:48,519
had a couple of reports that you were seeing at

465
00:20:48,519 --> 00:20:50,720
the Santa Fe bus depot on August twenty third. That

466
00:20:50,799 --> 00:20:53,680
was on a Wednesday. Reports came from pretty reliable people.

467
00:20:54,359 --> 00:20:57,000
Speaker 14: Well, I certainly consider myself reliable, and I say I've

468
00:20:57,039 --> 00:20:59,400
never been there. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like

469
00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:01,359
some kind of explanation for this questioning.

470
00:21:01,559 --> 00:21:03,640
Speaker 4: You mean you have no idea why we drove out

471
00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:04,359
here to talk to you.

472
00:21:04,599 --> 00:21:07,119
Speaker 14: Of course, not number one, I don't understand your questions

473
00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:07,839
at oh.

474
00:21:07,599 --> 00:21:09,039
Speaker 8: Number two, I'd like to know what they have to

475
00:21:09,039 --> 00:21:09,400
do with me.

476
00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,720
Speaker 4: Well, has this to do with you, ma'am? Last August

477
00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,279
twenty third, a woman in a brown sports jacket, answering

478
00:21:15,319 --> 00:21:18,039
your description, left the package in the Santa Fe bus depot.

479
00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,799
This package contained a mink stole taken from Anthony's. The

480
00:21:21,839 --> 00:21:23,920
woman who left the package in the depot fits your

481
00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:24,960
description perfectly.

482
00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:27,640
Speaker 8: That's all. That's a coincidence, Yes, ma'am.

483
00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:30,039
Speaker 4: Maybe I suppose you've read in the papers about the

484
00:21:30,039 --> 00:21:32,880
big increase in shoplifting. Most of it's taking place right

485
00:21:32,920 --> 00:21:34,480
in the area where you say you do most of

486
00:21:34,519 --> 00:21:37,480
your buying. Well, we've checked out every single one of

487
00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:40,160
the cases, Misisterling, took us a long time. We found

488
00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:42,880
a dozen salespeople in those stores. Every one of them

489
00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:44,960
tells us that you were around a particular store when

490
00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,079
the shoplifting took place. A lot of averages, Miss Sterling,

491
00:21:48,599 --> 00:21:50,480
you show up too often in the reports.

492
00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:54,359
Speaker 8: Would you please leave my house? Both out? You please?

493
00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:56,920
Speaker 4: I'm sorry, Miss Sterling, but you'd have to come along

494
00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:57,559
with us.

495
00:21:57,759 --> 00:21:58,640
Speaker 8: What do you mean by that?

496
00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,160
Speaker 14: Don't you know you can get in trouble making five accusations.

497
00:22:02,839 --> 00:22:04,680
I'm going to call my husband right.

498
00:22:04,559 --> 00:22:25,480
Speaker 5: Now, Yes, ma'am, peel I go right ahead, sergeant, Yes, ma'am.

499
00:22:25,519 --> 00:22:25,960
Speaker 6: What is it?

500
00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:29,680
Speaker 8: What do you want to know? You can tell me.

501
00:22:29,759 --> 00:22:30,880
Speaker 4: I think you know already.

502
00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:33,680
Speaker 8: What do you want tell me? Please?

503
00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,720
Speaker 4: We've got your story, ma'am. Right up to this afternoon.

504
00:22:36,759 --> 00:22:39,480
You went shopping today. You stole things, as usual when

505
00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:40,839
you try to get rid of them. You were seen

506
00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:43,400
right in this neighborhood where they can lock down the

507
00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:46,240
next corner and you throw them away. There. Somebody saw you.

508
00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:49,240
They didn't know it was me, Yes, ma'am, they know

509
00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:50,960
it was you. Yes.

510
00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:54,039
Speaker 8: How can I make them understand?

511
00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:55,240
Speaker 4: You know?

512
00:22:56,079 --> 00:23:03,200
Speaker 14: No ma'am, horrible shame. I couldn't tell my husband, I

513
00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:04,079
couldn't tell Boose.

514
00:23:05,839 --> 00:23:09,400
Speaker 4: I couldn't Well, never mind, we'll tell them for you.

515
00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,440
Nine thirty five pm we got in the car and

516
00:23:17,519 --> 00:23:20,400
drove missus Sterling downtown to the city Hall. We took

517
00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,000
her to the interrogation room, called a police stenographer, and

518
00:23:23,039 --> 00:23:25,480
we began to take her complete statement. One of the

519
00:23:25,519 --> 00:23:27,920
first things she did was to admit full responsibility for

520
00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,119
the series of shopliftings, which had been going on for

521
00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:33,240
over two months. She told us that her kleptomania, the

522
00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,400
urge to steal things, had started with her as far

523
00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,200
back as her junior high school years. She admitted as

524
00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:41,400
a girl, she stole books, tablets, pencils, pieces of chalk,

525
00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:43,720
and as she grew older it seemed to get more

526
00:23:43,759 --> 00:23:46,480
serious with her. It carried over into her college years,

527
00:23:46,839 --> 00:23:48,880
and that's when her stealing first got her into trouble.

528
00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:50,440
Speaker 9: It's when I joined a sorority.

529
00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:52,839
Speaker 14: It was just like high school. I was all alone.

530
00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:55,160
We had a lot of clever girls.

531
00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:55,359
Speaker 8: In our house.

532
00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,279
Speaker 14: Some of them were smart, some of them were pretty.

533
00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:00,240
All of them seemed to be doing something except me.

534
00:24:00,519 --> 00:24:02,960
Speaker 8: I had to prove it to them. I guess I

535
00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:04,160
had to prove it to myself.

536
00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:05,559
Speaker 4: I was smart too.

537
00:24:05,759 --> 00:24:08,319
Speaker 5: Uh see, you figured that taking things was the best

538
00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:09,079
way to prove that.

539
00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:11,920
Speaker 14: Yes, I suppose so. Of course it wasn't easy, you know.

540
00:24:12,839 --> 00:24:15,359
The awful part was I got caught one day. It

541
00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:17,519
was kind of a relief in a way. I mean,

542
00:24:17,559 --> 00:24:19,359
how could they know I was just as smart as

543
00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:19,799
they were?

544
00:24:20,799 --> 00:24:22,160
Speaker 8: They didn't find out what I was doing.

545
00:24:22,319 --> 00:24:24,640
Speaker 4: Did you stay on a college after that, Miss Sterling?

546
00:24:24,839 --> 00:24:25,799
Speaker 8: Oh no, I couldn't.

547
00:24:25,839 --> 00:24:27,960
Speaker 14: After that, they voted me out of the sorority.

548
00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:29,759
Speaker 8: There wasn't anything to do but leave, so I left.

549
00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:31,440
Speaker 4: Uh huh? What happened after that?

550
00:24:31,839 --> 00:24:33,400
Speaker 14: I went to New York and stayed with an at

551
00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,079
I have there. I got a job, had several jobs.

552
00:24:36,759 --> 00:24:39,160
The same thing came up again. I lost two of

553
00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,559
the jobs, same thing over again. I just couldn't help.

554
00:24:42,599 --> 00:24:47,839
It always mean so much to me, taking things, not

555
00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:52,720
being caught, getting away, getting away things I took.

556
00:24:52,799 --> 00:24:57,920
Speaker 8: They aintver meant anything to me. Nothing just taking.

557
00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,000
Speaker 14: Them, not having anyone knowing, That's all.

558
00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:04,559
Speaker 8: It was important. It made up for that feeling being

559
00:25:04,599 --> 00:25:05,319
all alone.

560
00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:07,640
Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am. And this thing went on I mean even

561
00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:08,519
after you were married.

562
00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:12,319
Speaker 8: No, not at first. I guess maybe a year or two.

563
00:25:13,599 --> 00:25:15,599
We were very happy Bruce and I and.

564
00:25:15,599 --> 00:25:17,880
Speaker 14: Then he got busy, came out here and began to

565
00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:22,119
build his practice. I didn't see as much of him.

566
00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:25,880
We both wanted children, we wanted them very much. There

567
00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:29,559
weren't any. Bruce began to spend more time away from home,

568
00:25:30,839 --> 00:25:31,559
just like before.

569
00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:37,720
Speaker 8: Same thing. I wasn't important. I was all alone again.

570
00:25:38,839 --> 00:25:42,240
Wasn't anybody You know what I mean? Don't you search it?

571
00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:43,319
Speaker 4: Yes, ma'am.

572
00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:46,839
Speaker 8: There ought to be an answer to someplace. There isn't

573
00:25:46,839 --> 00:25:49,759
anything worse than being alone, was there?

574
00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:59,200
Speaker 4: I guess interrogation room Friday, Yeah I did. He is

575
00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:04,000
on his way now, Yeah right, yeah, thank you. Doctor

576
00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:06,279
Sterling just called said he was on his way in.

577
00:26:06,319 --> 00:26:07,480
He ought to be here in a couple of minutes.

578
00:26:07,519 --> 00:26:08,559
Speaker 8: I don't want to see Bruce.

579
00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:11,920
Speaker 9: He's so good. I would know how to tell him.

580
00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:13,599
Speaker 4: No worry, ma'am, it'll be all right.

581
00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:21,079
Speaker 14: No, I'm alone, he's alone. It'll never be all right anymore.

582
00:26:21,519 --> 00:26:23,519
Speaker 4: Well, he's always winging now and he wants to see you.

583
00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:28,400
Speaker 8: I tell him, what's it going to be like? What's

584
00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:29,440
going to happen after this.

585
00:26:30,559 --> 00:26:32,519
Speaker 4: I don't know, ma'am, but you won't be alone anymore.

586
00:26:40,319 --> 00:26:43,720
Speaker 2: The story you have just heard was true. The names

587
00:26:43,759 --> 00:26:45,400
were changed to protect the innocent.

588
00:26:45,759 --> 00:26:48,720
Speaker 3: On December ninth, trial was held in Superior Court, Department

589
00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:51,519
eighty eighth, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California.

590
00:26:51,640 --> 00:27:03,799
In a moment the results of that trial, Missus Virginia

591
00:27:03,839 --> 00:27:06,519
Sterling was tried and convicted on several counts of grand

592
00:27:06,599 --> 00:27:09,640
theft and received the sentence as prescribed by law. The

593
00:27:09,759 --> 00:27:13,799
terms to run concurrently, Grand theft is punishable by imprisonment

594
00:27:13,839 --> 00:27:24,559
for not less than one or more than ten years.

595
00:27:25,839 --> 00:27:28,839
You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases

596
00:27:28,839 --> 00:27:32,200
from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of

597
00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:35,640
Chief of Police W. H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department.

598
00:27:51,039 --> 00:27:54,480
Speaker 10: Stay tuned for a Counterspy next on NBC.

599
00:28:02,599 --> 00:28:08,359
Speaker 1: Welcome Back. This episode contains one of the more interesting

600
00:28:08,599 --> 00:28:15,079
changes in adapting a story from radio to television, because

601
00:28:15,519 --> 00:28:19,279
the television version of Joe Friday comes off as a

602
00:28:19,319 --> 00:28:24,640
lot more compassionate. The way the closing line is delivered

603
00:28:24,799 --> 00:28:28,039
comes as a bit of a zinger, and we like that.

604
00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:33,079
When they're dealing with hardened criminals or people who've committed

605
00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:38,240
horrible crimes or who have done really bad things. This

606
00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:43,160
lady confessed to shoplifting due to a life time of

607
00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:48,039
loneliness and insecurity, and in part as a result of

608
00:28:48,079 --> 00:28:53,000
the pain of infertility and sadness in her marriage. As

609
00:28:53,039 --> 00:28:57,079
a result, the big Zinger lands flat and commits across

610
00:28:57,119 --> 00:29:00,720
as a bit mean and uncalled for. The TV version

611
00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:04,119
ends with her saying that there had to be an answer,

612
00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:08,359
and Friday looking on empathetically as she's going through this

613
00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:12,079
whole statement and then saying, there is, but you won't

614
00:29:12,119 --> 00:29:15,759
find it in jail. And this acknowledges the fact that

615
00:29:15,839 --> 00:29:18,880
she made mistakes that will cost her her freedom for

616
00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,559
the time, but treats it as the sad case it is,

617
00:29:23,759 --> 00:29:26,680
and it's an example where the choice on television is

618
00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:31,839
a definite improvement. I sympathize with the salesgirl who had

619
00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:37,759
to quit. I feel that if an objective outsider looked

620
00:29:37,799 --> 00:29:42,319
at the store's actions and her engagement with her on shoplifting,

621
00:29:42,359 --> 00:29:46,400
they'd find it was not as friendly as the manager

622
00:29:46,559 --> 00:29:52,400
told Friday. In Romero was definitely a victim of circumstance.

623
00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:57,519
She was transferred to another department, not because anyone had

624
00:29:57,559 --> 00:30:00,799
seen her doing anything, but just because because there were

625
00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:05,319
thefts in her department. And worse than that, they transferred

626
00:30:05,359 --> 00:30:09,400
her to a department where it would have been easy

627
00:30:09,480 --> 00:30:13,480
for anybody to walk off with something. So if she

628
00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:17,000
had been a thief, if you were creating opportunity for

629
00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:20,480
more thiever, how exactly did they think that was going

630
00:30:20,519 --> 00:30:24,839
to work. If you think that there are thefts in

631
00:30:24,839 --> 00:30:30,359
a department, you have a store detective observe, you use

632
00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:34,559
surveillance tactics, you don't let the person know what's going on.

633
00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:39,480
You don't move them around to other departments, particularly where

634
00:30:40,240 --> 00:30:44,200
it's far harder to prevent thefts. I mean, all they

635
00:30:44,279 --> 00:30:49,400
did was alienate a long time employee for no good reason. Well,

636
00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:53,759
listener comments and feedback now, and we have some comments

637
00:30:53,799 --> 00:31:00,559
on the Big One Ad and Harrison riots Mane. Harrison

638
00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:04,640
certainly had a dark origin story, a reference to some

639
00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:08,799
of those future famous names showing up and on an

640
00:31:08,799 --> 00:31:13,200
old time radio program, Mechanic sixty six says, good one.

641
00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:16,240
I'm watching Perry Mason for the third time, and it's

642
00:31:16,279 --> 00:31:20,039
a new experience after listening to this podcast. So many

643
00:31:20,119 --> 00:31:23,279
of the people I've heard are on there, and I

644
00:31:23,279 --> 00:31:25,799
can put a face to them, starting with Larry Thor

645
00:31:26,039 --> 00:31:29,359
in the first episode with a couple of lines as

646
00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:33,079
the police surgeon, to two episodes so far with Stacy Harris,

647
00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:39,359
Virginia Gregg, John Stevenson, Jeannette Nolan, Peter Leeds who I

648
00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:44,599
think also played some animal sounds, John Dayner, and so

649
00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:49,680
many more. Well, Perry Mason is a remarkable series for

650
00:31:49,759 --> 00:31:53,759
the number of old time radio actors who appeared in there.

651
00:31:54,759 --> 00:32:00,680
There was a website it's no longer active, but thankful

652
00:32:01,319 --> 00:32:07,640
archive by the wayback machine through Internet archive called Digital Deli,

653
00:32:08,000 --> 00:32:13,160
and that site had profiles of old time radio actors

654
00:32:13,759 --> 00:32:19,000
and so many of the actor's pictures that they featured

655
00:32:19,079 --> 00:32:23,799
were screenshots from old episodes of Perry Mason. Now, certainly

656
00:32:23,839 --> 00:32:27,759
there are other series that old time radio actors appeared in,

657
00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:31,079
but that seemed to be a bit of a clearing house.

658
00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:35,000
Now it's time to thank our Patreon supporter of the day,

659
00:32:35,079 --> 00:32:37,680
and I want to go ahead and think Diane, Patreon

660
00:32:37,759 --> 00:32:42,440
supporter since July twenty twenty three, currently supporting the podcast

661
00:32:42,559 --> 00:32:46,079
at the Detective Sergeant level of seven dollars and fourteen

662
00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:49,279
cents or more per month. Thanks so much for your support, Diane,

663
00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:52,160
and that will do it for today. If you're enjoying

664
00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:56,839
the podcast, please follow us using your favorite podcast software

665
00:32:57,400 --> 00:33:00,000
and be sure to rate and review the podcast wherever

666
00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:03,799
where you download it from. We will be back in

667
00:33:04,119 --> 00:33:08,720
three weeks with another episode of Dragnet, but join us

668
00:33:08,799 --> 00:33:13,440
back here tomorrow for yours truly, Johnny doll or Ware.

669
00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:16,279
Speaker 10: One of our craft got out there from Santa Monica

670
00:33:16,359 --> 00:33:18,960
Harbor not more than forty minutes after she went down.

671
00:33:19,119 --> 00:33:20,359
Speaker 15: How'd you find out about it?

672
00:33:21,079 --> 00:33:26,559
Speaker 10: Pong call from somebody living along the beach. Potato stood

673
00:33:26,559 --> 00:33:29,720
out there blowing the whistle and fog going woke him up.

674
00:33:30,559 --> 00:33:33,039
By the time he got out of bed, he said,

675
00:33:33,079 --> 00:33:36,359
it looked like a regular fireworks display about a half

676
00:33:36,400 --> 00:33:37,200
mile off shore.

677
00:33:37,359 --> 00:33:38,720
Speaker 4: Huh, you see.

678
00:33:38,559 --> 00:33:39,839
Speaker 10: Where they put a marker?

679
00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:43,799
Speaker 15: Boy, have wouldn't the wind and current move that slick

680
00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:44,960
and whatever wreckage?

681
00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:46,319
Speaker 4: There is no wind.

682
00:33:47,079 --> 00:33:49,839
Speaker 10: That's why there's still some fog out there, and they're

683
00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:53,200
allowing for drift. Don't worry. If there's anything left to

684
00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:56,359
the data, those boys will find it. Now. Excuse me,

685
00:33:56,400 --> 00:33:58,640
what do you please? I gotta keep a check on operations.

686
00:33:59,000 --> 00:34:04,599
Speaker 15: Yeah, sure, Kevin see Henley, you say, mister and missus Marler. Okay, Well,

687
00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:07,599
if the Coast Guarden Santa Monica through them, they're probably

688
00:34:07,640 --> 00:34:10,400
back at the home in Westwood. I think i'd like

689
00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:11,199
to talk to them.

690
00:34:11,440 --> 00:34:12,320
Speaker 4: By all means.

691
00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:15,239
Speaker 15: Oh, I don't exactly see any particular reason to investigating

692
00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:16,679
the company policy.

693
00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:18,440
Speaker 10: Mister Dollar on any claim over one hundred thicks.

694
00:34:18,559 --> 00:34:20,639
Speaker 15: Yeah, but the claim can't have been made yet.

695
00:34:20,679 --> 00:34:22,400
Speaker 10: I don't worry. It will be win a.

696
00:34:22,360 --> 00:34:26,039
Speaker 15: Minute one hundred and fifty thousand dollars yacht. But you

697
00:34:26,159 --> 00:34:29,000
said the claim could go as high as a quarter million. Yeah,

698
00:34:29,039 --> 00:34:31,519
that's because of missus Merrill's jewelry, which you always took

699
00:34:31,559 --> 00:34:33,119
with it always had lost too.

700
00:34:33,559 --> 00:34:34,159
Speaker 3: I don't know.

701
00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:36,320
Speaker 4: I haven't yet talked to her. Then let's do it.

702
00:34:36,679 --> 00:34:39,000
Speaker 1: I hope you'll be with us then. In the meantime,

703
00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:43,880
send your comments to Box thirteen at Great Detectives dot yet,

704
00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:49,519
follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives, and follow us

705
00:34:49,519 --> 00:34:55,119
on Instagram, Instagram, dot com, slash Great Detectives from Boise Atahol.

706
00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:58,159
This is your host, Adam raham Son and off