July 30, 2025 • 25 mins
A groundbreaking police procedural drama that follows Sergeant Joe Friday and his partners as they investigate crimes in Los Angeles. Known for its realistic portrayal of police work, the series emphasized methodical investigations and factual storytelling, setting a new standard for crime dramas. Explore a world of immersive, ad-free audio experiences from nature sounds to timeless stories at https://www.adfreesounds.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
The story you're about to hear is true. The names
have been changed to protect the innocent dragnet. You're a
detective sergeant. You're assigned to Bunco Fugitive Detail. An organized
gang of pickpockets is working in your city. None of
(00:30):
the victims can give a description of the suspects.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
There's no lead to their identity. Your job to get them.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
It was Tuesday, May tenth. We were working the day
watch Out a Bunco Fugitive Division Pickpocket Detail. My partner's
Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Didion. Mine old was Friday.
I was on my way back from communications and it
was eleven fourteen am when I got through Room thirty
eight Bunco. O.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yeah, anything come in from Saint Louis.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Yeah, they checked the connies playing back. There no trace
of back.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
Tip's wrong then, huh yeah, it looks like it four
two now all thought.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
All we can do is sit and wait for a
reply on the radiogram. He's gotta be someplace and he
isn't gonna stop working. They'll be wood on him somewhere.
I'll be glad and we turned the key.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Uh excuse me, yes, sir, How wouldn't if they could
help me?
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Well try, sir. You wanna come on in? What's it
all about?
Speaker 6 (01:23):
I've been robbed, sir, and they took my money, all
of it, every bit. I don't know how, but they
took it all. I don't know what to do.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Well, do you wanna sit down?
Speaker 7 (01:31):
Yes? Please?
Speaker 6 (01:36):
I don't know how they did it. I tried to
be so careful, but they took it all. Thirty seven
years doing without and now I got nothing.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
This is my partner, Frank Smith. My name is Friday.
Maybe if you tell us what happened here we could
help you.
Speaker 6 (01:48):
Yes, maybe, I'm Lewis Bonning. Yes, sir, I lived at
eighteen twenty Woodworth Court, Los Angeles, twelve. I have a
room there. I see fourteen dollars a week in privileges.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
If you tell us what happened to Bonning, we might
be able to do something for you.
Speaker 6 (02:02):
And I'm trying to tell you, trying to think of
what happened. I don't believe it yet.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Anna, you said you were robbed, is that right?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Yes?
Speaker 7 (02:09):
Two hundred dollars all gone?
Speaker 4 (02:11):
Or were you held up?
Speaker 7 (02:13):
No, nothing like that. If it was that way, i'd know.
Speaker 6 (02:16):
But just all of a sudden, I put my hand
in my pocket to feel the money, and it wasn't there.
Nothing was there. I had a pocket full of empty.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
I'm ill, sir, to usually carry that much money around
with you.
Speaker 6 (02:26):
No, mister, I got it from the bank this morning.
I'm going away. I was leaving Los Angeles. That's why
I had the money, so I could leave.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Well, I suppose you start right at the beginning and
tell us the whole.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Story with you.
Speaker 6 (02:38):
Well, my wife passed on four weeks ago, Monday, April fourth,
and that's when it happened to April fourth. We came
to this country when we were both young. She died
four weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Yes, sir, if you had gone about.
Speaker 6 (02:51):
The death, please, Well, I thought i'd maybe go back
to cars to live with one of my daughters. She
asked me to come, and I thought I would, so
I drew out the money. You took the money out
of the bank, Yes, this morning, two hundred dollars. That's
what we'd saved. I couldn't leave it here in the bank.
If I was going to be in Chicago.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Well, you could have had the money transferred, you know.
Speaker 6 (03:09):
I guess that's what I should have done, but it's
too late.
Speaker 7 (03:12):
Now.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Did you have the money when you left the bank?
Speaker 6 (03:15):
Yes, I rolled the bills up and put them here
in my pocket. Here listen on the left side. I
kept my hand on the money, so I knew it
was there.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Well, what'd you do After you left the bank and.
Speaker 6 (03:25):
I was going home? I thought i'd walk home. I
went down the street and then I thought i'd stop
for some coffee. I was all packed up my room,
so I didn't want to make a mess. I thought
i'd have a cup of coffee out. I went into
the big market. They have a coffee condor there, and
I went in and sat down. All the time I
kept my hand on the money. I could feel it
through the pants. It was in my pocket, yes, sa,
(03:46):
I had the coffee in and I went to go
out of the market. As I walked through, all the
people of box fell off a stack of boxes who'd
almost hit me. I didn't think anything about it. If
nobody was hurt. All the people in the market came
over to me and asked I was all right, but
I said yes, I was all right. Then I went
out of the market. I got on the street. When
I remembered about the money, it was gone.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
I'd have been taken from me in the market, Is
that right?
Speaker 7 (04:11):
Yes, mister? Which in the market?
Speaker 5 (04:13):
I think, Well, let's get this trait while you were
in there? Did anyone bump into you?
Speaker 7 (04:18):
I don't understand.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I mean, anyone jostly you bump into you? Without reason?
Speaker 7 (04:22):
No? No, I don't remember.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Did anybody follow you from the bank to the market
that you noticed?
Speaker 7 (04:27):
It was hard to tell, mister.
Speaker 6 (04:28):
There are a lot of people on the streets. Would
be hard to tell if there was anyone.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yes, I understand.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
But was there any one person you recall having seen
this morning, one face that you might remember.
Speaker 6 (04:38):
Maybe no, mister. I tried to think about it, but
there's no one I see. Do you think you'll get
it back for me?
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Sure?
Speaker 7 (04:44):
The money? It makes a big difference.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
How was that before?
Speaker 6 (04:48):
When I had the money, I could go and live
with my daughter. With the money, I could be independent.
It be a different feeling, you understand, don't you.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Yes, sure I do.
Speaker 7 (04:57):
That's why it's so.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
Important you get the money back so I can go
live with my daughter, So I can do that. That's showing
the reason I troubles you. The only reason I have
to ask you to find the man. That's the only
reason I got.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
That's a little different with us, sir, huh.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
We've got another one. For the past several weeks, we've
been getting reports of the existence of an organized gang
of pickpockets working in Los Angeles. Contrary to most opinion,
a pickpocket seldom works alone. Like everything else, it's gotten
to be a highly specialized operation. Normally, there are several
men to each team, the jug mob who usually spends
(05:31):
his time in banks looking for the victim, the shover
who pushes or bumps the victims so his money can
be taken, and the wire who does the actual pocket picking.
In certain types of operation, the jug mob is replaced
by the shark, who works street cars and spots people
who have large amounts of money. Under normal circumstances, a
professional group of pickpockets can take approximately five thousand dollars
(05:52):
a day out of a tip or a crowd. Eleven
forty seven am, we had the victim. Lewis Bonning looked
through the pictures No One pickpockets for a possible identification
of the man who taking his money. He was unable
to find anybody who looked familiar. We told him to
go home, and we said that we'd be in touch
with him. Twelve thirty five pm. Frank and I checked
back into the office. They're roughly uh yeah, they all
(06:15):
come out of that killer, don't they. I sure hope
we can do some good for him.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, nice old guy.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
You wanna get in touch with Slim Raymos. Let's go
down and talk to him. He might be able to
come up with something.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Yeah, I'll get his number. Get a new book. This
is getting almost impossible to use.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Yeah, hum, I said, that's numbers all crossed out, you
know when they change the prefixes. Yeah, I made a
mess out of my book and it's.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
That's great. Or a Slim Raymus there he slimed a
Frank Smith.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah good, yeah, say Slim. Wait a minute now, the
reason I called you, Joe and I'd like to come
down and talk to you. If it's okay, you're gonna
be there this afternoon. Uh no, nothing wrong, just a
couple of things we want.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
To check over here.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Yeah, okay, see here on two thirty Huh is that
all right?
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Okay, now I know where it is right, see you then,
he's gonna be in all afternoon, said he'd be glad
to see this.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Good.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Maybe he's got something we can use on this thing.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Well, he'll lay it out for us if he has.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Oh, it's the one good thing about starting with nothing
in it. Yeah, we can only go one way. Twelve
o six pm, Frank and I checked out of the
office and we started for Santa Monica. Slim Ramos had
been one of the best pickpockets in the business. He'd
been arrested and served the term in San Quentin. After
he'd been parode, he'd opened a small stand on one
(07:51):
of the amusement piers near the beach. From his past record,
Ramos had been cooperative with the police department, and several
arrests were attributed to his information. Raymos was operating a
Wheel of Fortune booth at the end of the pier.
Frank and I parked the car and walked out.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
By the place.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Huh, Yeah, I got to bring the kids down here
some Sunday.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
They get a real kick out of it.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Yeah, that's Slim's booth there. Then, Yeah, I don't see him.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
He said he'd be here, he might be around back.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Yeah, i'd sure like to win one of those hands.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Yeah, big ones, right to slim you around?
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Yeah, hold on, be.
Speaker 8 (08:28):
Right out, all right. Joe Frank I from the backpackaging
some groceres.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Uh huh.
Speaker 8 (08:34):
What can I do for you?
Speaker 4 (08:35):
I'd like to talk to you about a cannon operation.
Speaker 6 (08:36):
Yeah, I should have known. Come on back here, we
can sit down, all right, watch your heads on the counter.
Speaker 8 (08:41):
Yeah, got a couple of shares back here, Come on,
I can finish up for a second. All right, go ahead, Oh,
I want you to bomb.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
You got any rumbles about a bunch work in the
downtown area?
Speaker 8 (08:51):
What kind of operations?
Speaker 6 (08:52):
Judd Moobs think I heard something about a bunch coming
in from the east KC. I think seems I heard
they worked a couple of skill dates with a cornie
back there. Boss didn't know they were working. When he
found out, he had him kicked off the lot.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
You got any names for us, Nah?
Speaker 6 (09:05):
Not right off, Gonna check around.
Speaker 8 (09:07):
Might be able to come up with him.
Speaker 7 (09:08):
What's the bit.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Yeah, they've been scoring good work in the downtown area.
Took an elderly man for his life savings this morning.
Speaker 6 (09:13):
Uh huh, figures huh. They always pick on the elderly ones.
Bump into a young guy might give you trouble. Pick
the old ones, they don't seem to notice it.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yeah, how you been doing swim?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Oh good?
Speaker 6 (09:23):
Got it real good. I ain't killing the world, but
my rent's paid. I know there ain't gonna be a
fuzz on my tail tonight.
Speaker 8 (09:28):
I got it real good.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
How long you been here?
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Now? It's good?
Speaker 7 (09:31):
About a year.
Speaker 8 (09:32):
I thought, if I could get permission, might go out
with a carnie this year.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
You know what.
Speaker 6 (09:35):
The front end got a letter from a friend. It's
got a grind store. One of the big ones says
he might be able to get me in a grind store. Yeah,
you know, everybody plays, everybody wins, pay a dime to
win a piece of slum with maybe a couple of cents. Well,
this carne I might go with's got no grift in
the front end. All percentage games. The way I figured,
if you go out with a good one, weather old's
gonna do all right.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
You figured you can come out better than you do here.
Speaker 6 (09:56):
Oh sure, you see, we get a real good play
over the weekends. Regular days is kind of slow. Go
out with a big carnie. You can draw crowds anytime.
If the weather's good, bound to come out better.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
You'll check into those names for us with your slim.
Speaker 8 (10:07):
Yeah, I'll make a couple of calls.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Can you make them now?
Speaker 6 (10:10):
No, I have to get in touch with the guy tonight.
I'll get back to your first thing in the morning.
All right, same number in Michigan, five to one one.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
That's right, buncle fugitive.
Speaker 8 (10:16):
All right, I'll give you a call. Buy you guys
cupt coffee.
Speaker 4 (10:19):
No thanks, Slim, we're just gonna want to come along.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
We'll buy you one.
Speaker 7 (10:22):
Okay.
Speaker 8 (10:23):
Now hold on, I want to check with Harry. I
have him keep an eye on things.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
All right.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Here, you go ahead, Okay, I'll.
Speaker 8 (10:27):
Watch the counter.
Speaker 6 (10:28):
I came up too fast the other day, like took
all the.
Speaker 8 (10:30):
Skin off my back.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
Yeah, hold on a minute, I'll be right back.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
All right. Nice fucking place, huh.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Yeah, he's painted it since we were down here last time.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Yeah, well, let's go.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Painted up the.
Speaker 6 (10:44):
Place, I slim, Yeah, I thought I might turn a
bigger tip of the place.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Look good.
Speaker 8 (10:48):
You know, people like a clean looking place.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Are the rest of the boots doing down here?
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Slim?
Speaker 8 (10:52):
Were pretty good? And I told you great other time.
Speaker 7 (10:54):
It's a little slow.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Any grift down here, No, he.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
Said, there is.
Speaker 6 (10:58):
I haven't heard of it in the Santa Monica Police Department,
Lieutenant Cunningham.
Speaker 8 (11:02):
He keeps the place real clean.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 6 (11:04):
The last thing I heard about was a guy who
was working with a camelback wheel. What camelback like mine?
Only this was gaffed. How smoothest pitcher around? The arrow
is connected to a spindle. Spindle goes through a stand.
Looks like it'd be no way to gee it. Plain
pipe looks clean.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
What's a gimmick?
Speaker 8 (11:19):
All the frame rests on four pins.
Speaker 6 (11:21):
Pins are supposed to be what anchors it to the counter?
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Uh huh.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
Now, three of the pins go into one piece of
the counter. They really do hold the wheel in place.
The other one goes through a separate piece of wood
on the booth side of the counter. There's a space
between the board on the booth side and one of
the three legs go through. Now, the pin in the
fourth leg is loose. It's connected with a bunch of
levers inside. The pipe acts as a brake on the wheel.
All the operator has to do is lean against the
board and he's got complete control of the wheel.
Speaker 8 (11:43):
All the time.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
It's a real nice deal of ith.
Speaker 8 (11:45):
The way they figured it's perfect.
Speaker 6 (11:46):
In case they get a cowboy in the crowd, the
mark can pick the wheel right up out of the counter,
shows that there's no wires running to it. Wheel's gaffed.
There's no way to prove it. Set it up with
a couple of sticks in front. Let them win a
couple of times.
Speaker 8 (11:59):
You got it made. It's the way they figure.
Speaker 6 (12:01):
It doesn't work out though, And like on my wheel,
I got one hundred and twenty numbers on it.
Speaker 8 (12:06):
Figure I get good action.
Speaker 6 (12:07):
I'm gonna have maybe half of them covered right off.
The odds are on my side. Lot of the rest
is only one winner. Half of them covered means a
gross of about six bucks. I give away five dollars
worth of grocery. Even with a winner, I come out
every time a percentage of prove it.
Speaker 8 (12:21):
Look at it that way. You don't need a gap wheel.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
That's too bad. More of them don't figure it like this.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
Yeah, I suppose it took me a long time to
find it out.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Yeah, but you came up with the answers.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
I hope I can do the same for you. On
the cannon operation, so do we. It's funny I get
to think of when I was working as a wire
Now we figured that anytime we could lift a poke
from the mark was a big laugh.
Speaker 8 (12:40):
A lot of difference.
Speaker 6 (12:41):
Now, yeah, now I sleep nights.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Two fifteen pm we continued to talk to our informants,
swim Ramos. He said that he didn't know the name
of the carnival the possible suspects had been fired from.
He said that he'd call some of his contacts and
try to get the information for us. We set up
a time for him to get in touch with us,
and then Frank and I drove back to the office.
We contacted Captain Didion and made arrangements for additional men
to be assigned to help us. Sergeants John Debetta and
(13:11):
Danny Gilmore were asked to aid us in the search
of the market where the victim had been robbed. We
spent the next three hours in the market looking at
the crowd in the hopes that we'd see ann pickpocket
or even see a wire in operation, but the surveillance
netted us nothing. We made arrangements for the victim's bank
to be watched the following morning six fifteen pm Frank
and I got back.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
To the squadroom. Well, you sure he does a good business?
Sendent right the market, Joe, A lot of people going there. Yeah,
what's the matter with you? Well?
Speaker 4 (13:39):
I was just thinking, he said, it comes down to
the point where the only way to hang on to
your money is to carry it in your hand and
keep your fist closed.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Starting close. I was talking with Lieutenant Jack Swan.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
He was telling me a guy came in here from Nebraska,
came in by bus, you know, were.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Sitting in the station waiting for a coach to take
him up the north.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
Had all his money in his shoe and his shoe, yeah,
had in his left shoe, had the money off flat so.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
We could walk on it. Figured it'd be safe there.
It wasn't it.
Speaker 4 (14:03):
Now dozed off for a minute.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Next thing, he knows, shoes off, the money's gone.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
How would anybody know where it was?
Speaker 5 (14:09):
I don't know the guy that took and founded though.
Guy dozed off for a minute, loses his shoe and
all his money.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
Anything turn up on it?
Speaker 1 (14:15):
No again, well.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Confusitive Friday, Yeah, yeah, slim. What was that name again?
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Yeah? H what do you say about it?
Speaker 4 (14:31):
Wait a minute, right, yeah, here you go pencil soon.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Yeah, okay, thank you? All right, Slim, go ahead whether
it was a K what O l C se isn't Charlie?
Oh t T right?
Speaker 4 (14:51):
You know where they're staying. All right, we'll give us
a call for anything more.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Turns up?
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Huh right, okay, Slim, thanks.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
A lot, right bye? How do you do?
Speaker 4 (15:02):
We're pretty good? Three names of the guys who worked
to Connie and KC. Eh Slim talked to a friend.
Got the information that the guys who work in the
downtown area have been scoring real good.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Say where we could find him?
Speaker 4 (15:12):
No, he's gonna try to get the address for us. Well,
we took a big jump just knowing who they are.
Deal now is to make it work. What do you mean,
al Slim says, his bunch is pretty hinky. They're playing
it real careful.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Yeah, words out.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
They got two more big scores to make it and
then they're gonna leave town.
Speaker 9 (15:36):
You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your
police force election.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
The three names are informant had given us were Howard Kremer,
Victor Lyden, and Edward Olkin.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
We had the names checked through our record bureau. But
we found that none of the three men had been
arrested in Los Angeles, m We got a radiogram off
to the police department in Kansas City, the last place
the trio was known to have worked. We asked that
all information on the thieves beforewarded to it. We also
set a teletype at George Breton up at Sacramento CII,
asking him to check the names for us. The following morning, Wednesday,
(16:15):
Mail eleventh, we got word from Kansas City that the
officials there were forwarding mug shots and descriptions.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Of the three men.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
During the day, Frank and I met with Captain Didion
and a surveillance of the downtown area banks was set up.
On Friday morning, when Frank and I checked in the work,
a special delivery letter was waiting for us. In it,
we found the records and pictures of premer Lydon and Alcotte.
The pictures were handed over to the photo lab and
they started.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
To reproduce them.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
The descriptions were sent to the print shop and mo
o sheets were made up as soon as possible. The
pictures and the bulletins were distributed to all bank guards
in the area. Additional officers from Bunco fugitive were placed
in the vicinity. Frank and I maintained a ruling stakeout
in the downtown area. At nine pm Friday night, the
banks closed and we'd got no report that the thieves
had worked. Local broadcasts were gotten out on the end,
(17:02):
but there were no replying. Monday, May sixteenth, the plan
was put into effect again no results. Tuesday, the gang
didn't work, began to look as if they might have
closed up operations in Los Angeles and moved. On Wednesday,
May eighteenth, Thank and I came back from lunch. I
get it, Uncle fugited Friday, Yes, sir, that's right. Where right? No,
(17:30):
don't do anything to let him know.
Speaker 7 (17:32):
Right, Well, let's.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Go some good.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
The Shover bank guard just spotted him. The call had
come from a bank at the corner of Seventh in
Jackson Streets. The guard told us that he'd seen one
of the suspects enter the bank and, under the pretense
of filling out deposit slips, observed the withdrawals that the
customers were making. It took us a little under three
(17:55):
minutes to get to the address. We checked with the
guard and he pointed out the suspect he pretended to
make out a deposit slip while I waited at the
new account desk. When we entered the bank, the suspect
was standing at the teller's window.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
In front of him was an elderly man.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
As the lion moved up, the suspect began to examine
the slip that he'd made out. Then, as the elderly
man took his turn at the window, the suspect walked
away and stopped by the door. He waited for the
man to finish his business at the teller's counter. Then
as he passed through the door, the suspect fell and
stepped behind him. Frank and I followed him down the street.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
As he walked through the crowds, he was joined by
Edward Alcott, the shover in the operation.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
The elderly man entered a small.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Tobacco store, and as he went through the door, the
wire Howard Kremer joined the other two suspects. As the
elderly man stood at the counter waiting to be served,
the shover walked over to.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
The magazine rang. He stood looking at the magazines for
a moment, and then as he turned away, he seemingly
tripped and fell against the proposed victim. Though Frank and
I knew what it was coming. We were watching for it,
and yet and he missed the actual fift. The wire
moved in and removed the victim's money so fast that
we couldn't see it. The shover took the wallet from
the wire, and the gang was ready to move on.
Frank and I stepped into him. All right, mister police officers,
(19:03):
you're under a ask for what stop dreaming? You know
the rot? And now come on, come on.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
All right, mister, come on on, your get up. You're
waiting to complete me alone. You're going to recract this
shoving a citizen around, no reason for this.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
How about the other two?
Speaker 4 (19:29):
They're out all right, Let's get him downtown. How about
the victim until he left when the beat started? Better
try to catch him.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
You're gonna be sorry for this jewweight. You're gonna be
real sorry.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
Shoving an not a citizen around. Yeah, that's a trouble
with you punks. What do you mean you're rung on
both counts. The three suspects were taken into custody and
brought downtown. The victim's wallet was found on the person
of Edward Dolphin, who was identified by the owner and
booked his evidence. Three point fifteen pm.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
We took the wire Howard Kremer to the interrogation room.
Sit down, Trammer, Yeah, all right, you want to give
us a statement or what, come off, But you know
what we're talking about.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
You've got to have me a cross with somebody else.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
I'm trying to level with you. I don't know what
you're talking about. You want us to lay it out
for you.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
I don't care much either way.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
You guys slamm into a store where I'm trying to
buy a pack of cigarettes, and all of a sudden
I got handcuffs on you tell me I'm hooked for
being a pickpocket. That's the way you want to tell it,
durin't any other words?
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Your two friends tell it different?
Speaker 3 (20:28):
What two friends?
Speaker 4 (20:28):
Two fellas? We picked up with you.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
This is a big time a lot of people. You
walk into a store, you don't ask who's standing next
to you.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
They put the whole deal on you. Who lying?
Speaker 4 (20:36):
And Alton never heard them. How long do you figure
you're going to keep this up, mister?
Speaker 3 (20:40):
As long as it takes to get you on my side.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
They don't build days that long. If that's your loss.
I'm a nice fellow if you take the time to
get to know them.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
All right, Kramer, this is way off the road. Now,
maybe you got all day. We haven't. You can either
give it to us here and now we can drop
you into a cell and let you wait it out.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
You put me in a tank and I'll be out
in half an hour.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
How many times you've been arrested? Who says there was
a first? How many times you've got the books?
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Look it up?
Speaker 4 (21:01):
We ask you a question.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
So I'm not a genius.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
I got trouble with addition, take everything out of your pockets.
Come on, or why?
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Look?
Speaker 4 (21:08):
You run a lot of funny time here, Kremer.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Then you're better ring the bell because I'll need more
of it.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
You got a job, yeah, I'm a president of a bank.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
You're going way out on this, Kramer.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
I like the senior You work where round? No special places?
Speaker 4 (21:18):
What do you do? I'm a sales What do you sell?
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Whatever people can afford?
Speaker 1 (21:21):
All right?
Speaker 4 (21:21):
Now, come on, put your things on the table right now.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
You can sign a receipt.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
They aren't got to be taken from me. You want
to see what you're carrying?
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Okay, you boys deserve a break. But I'll tell you now,
the numbers on my phone book are mine. Don't go
near him.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
Come on, get it up.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Here's my what.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Handkerchief, comb, nail flippers, and change, A couple of ticket
stuffs from a movie, a lousy picture.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Cigarette slider.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
That's it.
Speaker 4 (21:44):
You got any money in that wallet?
Speaker 7 (21:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:45):
How much?
Speaker 3 (21:46):
I don't know. I don't pay much attention to how
much I'm carrying.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
You can't even come close.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
How much you got? No, take it out and count it?
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (21:54):
One? Two, three? All right?
Speaker 3 (21:59):
Comes off to thirty seven hundred dollars.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
You must do real good at that salesmor job company
pays big commissions.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
I put the money in your pocket.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
Why don't you put it into it?
Speaker 1 (22:06):
What'd you say?
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Look, cop, I've been around. I've been with most of
the cardies in the country one time or another.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
I know the score.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
There ain't a place in the world that the fixed
can't be put in. And why don't you just take
the money? You drop it in your pocket and I
forget I was ever in here? Won't be nobody hurt.
The old guys maybe out a couple of hundred bucks,
but so what you won't miss it. Why not put
the fix?
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Them will both come.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
Out all right?
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Now?
Speaker 4 (22:27):
The fix just curdled Grimmer.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Why you said we had the record? What you called it?
Speaker 4 (22:30):
We got all the word about you way down the line.
You talk about how you worked with Carnies.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
How long? Huh?
Speaker 4 (22:34):
What's the longest time you ever stayed with one outfit?
I like the move, Yeah, sure you do. That's the
way that people who run the show wanted decent Carnie
doesn't want a guy like you were around. You were
anybody like you. You've been on the road taking money
away from people who can't afford it for a long time, now,
wen you and you come in here acting like a
big man. You do the indignant bit, and then when.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
That doesn't work, you try to buy your way out.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
You've had it, mister, We know it, and your two
buddies know it. What are you going to take a
good look?
Speaker 3 (22:55):
You really figure you've got it made.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
We know we have.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
The other two guys really caught off.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
The whole thing all comes down to how you engineered it.
You will buy what they say, we buy it. Then
there isn't much more for me to say.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
Is it not a great deal.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Now, okay, let's go.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
How about a statement? Why make it easier on yourself?
Use your FI CAPI you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (23:15):
Yeah, all right, bring the girl in. I'll give you
a statement.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Pray, yeah you mind? If I have a smoke? What
was that I said? Your mind?
Speaker 3 (23:26):
If I have a smoke? No, go ahead, wild one,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Head it all down? So pat good, shover better dug ma.
I'll sit in the front row with any wire in
the business. All that don't add up to a winner.
Speaker 9 (23:48):
That's like you said, huh, you get trouble with addition,
Lord Nathan Kremer, Edward Francis Halcott, and Victor Frederick Lytton
were tried and convicted on six counts of grand theft
money and received sentence. As prescribed by law, grand theft
(24:11):
money is punishable by imprisonment on the state penitentiary for
a period of not.
Speaker 8 (24:14):
Less than one nor more than ten years.
Speaker 6 (24:18):
Dragnet is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces
Radio Service.
Speaker 10 (25:01):
Satan stops, Supper, super Spot selects a.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Stop set, super
Speaker 10 (25:28):
Strength Comer Stables, Supercomers sets,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
The story you're about to hear is true. The names
have been changed to protect the innocent dragnet. You're a
detective sergeant. You're assigned to Bunco Fugitive Detail. An organized
gang of pickpockets is working in your city. None of
(00:30):
the victims can give a description of the suspects.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
There's no lead to their identity. Your job to get them.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
It was Tuesday, May tenth. We were working the day
watch Out a Bunco Fugitive Division Pickpocket Detail. My partner's
Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Didion. Mine old was Friday.
I was on my way back from communications and it
was eleven fourteen am when I got through Room thirty
eight Bunco. O.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Yeah, anything come in from Saint Louis.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Yeah, they checked the connies playing back. There no trace
of back.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
Tip's wrong then, huh yeah, it looks like it four
two now all thought.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
All we can do is sit and wait for a
reply on the radiogram. He's gotta be someplace and he
isn't gonna stop working. They'll be wood on him somewhere.
I'll be glad and we turned the key.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Uh excuse me, yes, sir, How wouldn't if they could
help me?
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
Well try, sir. You wanna come on in? What's it
all about?
Speaker 6 (01:23):
I've been robbed, sir, and they took my money, all
of it, every bit. I don't know how, but they
took it all. I don't know what to do.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Well, do you wanna sit down?
Speaker 7 (01:31):
Yes? Please?
Speaker 6 (01:36):
I don't know how they did it. I tried to
be so careful, but they took it all. Thirty seven
years doing without and now I got nothing.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
This is my partner, Frank Smith. My name is Friday.
Maybe if you tell us what happened here we could
help you.
Speaker 6 (01:48):
Yes, maybe, I'm Lewis Bonning. Yes, sir, I lived at
eighteen twenty Woodworth Court, Los Angeles, twelve. I have a
room there. I see fourteen dollars a week in privileges.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
If you tell us what happened to Bonning, we might
be able to do something for you.
Speaker 6 (02:02):
And I'm trying to tell you, trying to think of
what happened. I don't believe it yet.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
Anna, you said you were robbed, is that right?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Yes?
Speaker 7 (02:09):
Two hundred dollars all gone?
Speaker 4 (02:11):
Or were you held up?
Speaker 7 (02:13):
No, nothing like that. If it was that way, i'd know.
Speaker 6 (02:16):
But just all of a sudden, I put my hand
in my pocket to feel the money, and it wasn't there.
Nothing was there. I had a pocket full of empty.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
I'm ill, sir, to usually carry that much money around
with you.
Speaker 6 (02:26):
No, mister, I got it from the bank this morning.
I'm going away. I was leaving Los Angeles. That's why
I had the money, so I could leave.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Well, I suppose you start right at the beginning and
tell us the whole.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Story with you.
Speaker 6 (02:38):
Well, my wife passed on four weeks ago, Monday, April fourth,
and that's when it happened to April fourth. We came
to this country when we were both young. She died
four weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
Yes, sir, if you had gone about.
Speaker 6 (02:51):
The death, please, Well, I thought i'd maybe go back
to cars to live with one of my daughters. She
asked me to come, and I thought I would, so
I drew out the money. You took the money out
of the bank, Yes, this morning, two hundred dollars. That's
what we'd saved. I couldn't leave it here in the bank.
If I was going to be in Chicago.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
Well, you could have had the money transferred, you know.
Speaker 6 (03:09):
I guess that's what I should have done, but it's
too late.
Speaker 7 (03:12):
Now.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Did you have the money when you left the bank?
Speaker 6 (03:15):
Yes, I rolled the bills up and put them here
in my pocket. Here listen on the left side. I
kept my hand on the money, so I knew it
was there.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Well, what'd you do After you left the bank and.
Speaker 6 (03:25):
I was going home? I thought i'd walk home. I
went down the street and then I thought i'd stop
for some coffee. I was all packed up my room,
so I didn't want to make a mess. I thought
i'd have a cup of coffee out. I went into
the big market. They have a coffee condor there, and
I went in and sat down. All the time I
kept my hand on the money. I could feel it
through the pants. It was in my pocket, yes, sa,
(03:46):
I had the coffee in and I went to go
out of the market. As I walked through, all the
people of box fell off a stack of boxes who'd
almost hit me. I didn't think anything about it. If
nobody was hurt. All the people in the market came
over to me and asked I was all right, but
I said yes, I was all right. Then I went
out of the market. I got on the street. When
I remembered about the money, it was gone.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
I'd have been taken from me in the market, Is
that right?
Speaker 7 (04:11):
Yes, mister? Which in the market?
Speaker 5 (04:13):
I think, Well, let's get this trait while you were
in there? Did anyone bump into you?
Speaker 7 (04:18):
I don't understand.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I mean, anyone jostly you bump into you? Without reason?
Speaker 7 (04:22):
No? No, I don't remember.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Did anybody follow you from the bank to the market
that you noticed?
Speaker 7 (04:27):
It was hard to tell, mister.
Speaker 6 (04:28):
There are a lot of people on the streets. Would
be hard to tell if there was anyone.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Yes, I understand.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
But was there any one person you recall having seen
this morning, one face that you might remember.
Speaker 6 (04:38):
Maybe no, mister. I tried to think about it, but
there's no one I see. Do you think you'll get
it back for me?
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Sure?
Speaker 7 (04:44):
The money? It makes a big difference.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
How was that before?
Speaker 6 (04:48):
When I had the money, I could go and live
with my daughter. With the money, I could be independent.
It be a different feeling, you understand, don't you.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Yes, sure I do.
Speaker 7 (04:57):
That's why it's so.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
Important you get the money back so I can go
live with my daughter, So I can do that. That's showing
the reason I troubles you. The only reason I have
to ask you to find the man. That's the only
reason I got.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
That's a little different with us, sir, huh.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
We've got another one. For the past several weeks, we've
been getting reports of the existence of an organized gang
of pickpockets working in Los Angeles. Contrary to most opinion,
a pickpocket seldom works alone. Like everything else, it's gotten
to be a highly specialized operation. Normally, there are several
men to each team, the jug mob who usually spends
(05:31):
his time in banks looking for the victim, the shover
who pushes or bumps the victims so his money can
be taken, and the wire who does the actual pocket picking.
In certain types of operation, the jug mob is replaced
by the shark, who works street cars and spots people
who have large amounts of money. Under normal circumstances, a
professional group of pickpockets can take approximately five thousand dollars
(05:52):
a day out of a tip or a crowd. Eleven
forty seven am, we had the victim. Lewis Bonning looked
through the pictures No One pickpockets for a possible identification
of the man who taking his money. He was unable
to find anybody who looked familiar. We told him to
go home, and we said that we'd be in touch
with him. Twelve thirty five pm. Frank and I checked
back into the office. They're roughly uh yeah, they all
(06:15):
come out of that killer, don't they. I sure hope
we can do some good for him.
Speaker 1 (06:18):
Yeah, nice old guy.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
You wanna get in touch with Slim Raymos. Let's go
down and talk to him. He might be able to
come up with something.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
Yeah, I'll get his number. Get a new book. This
is getting almost impossible to use.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
Yeah, hum, I said, that's numbers all crossed out, you
know when they change the prefixes. Yeah, I made a
mess out of my book and it's.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
That's great. Or a Slim Raymus there he slimed a
Frank Smith.
Speaker 5 (07:00):
Yeah good, yeah, say Slim. Wait a minute now, the
reason I called you, Joe and I'd like to come
down and talk to you. If it's okay, you're gonna
be there this afternoon. Uh no, nothing wrong, just a
couple of things we want.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
To check over here.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
Yeah, okay, see here on two thirty Huh is that
all right?
Speaker 1 (07:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (07:20):
Okay, now I know where it is right, see you then,
he's gonna be in all afternoon, said he'd be glad
to see this.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Good.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Maybe he's got something we can use on this thing.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Well, he'll lay it out for us if he has.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Oh, it's the one good thing about starting with nothing
in it. Yeah, we can only go one way. Twelve
o six pm, Frank and I checked out of the
office and we started for Santa Monica. Slim Ramos had
been one of the best pickpockets in the business. He'd
been arrested and served the term in San Quentin. After
he'd been parode, he'd opened a small stand on one
(07:51):
of the amusement piers near the beach. From his past record,
Ramos had been cooperative with the police department, and several
arrests were attributed to his information. Raymos was operating a
Wheel of Fortune booth at the end of the pier.
Frank and I parked the car and walked out.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
By the place.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Huh, Yeah, I got to bring the kids down here
some Sunday.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
They get a real kick out of it.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Yeah, that's Slim's booth there. Then, Yeah, I don't see him.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
He said he'd be here, he might be around back.
Speaker 5 (08:20):
Yeah, i'd sure like to win one of those hands.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Yeah, big ones, right to slim you around?
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Yeah, hold on, be.
Speaker 8 (08:28):
Right out, all right. Joe Frank I from the backpackaging
some groceres.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
Uh huh.
Speaker 8 (08:34):
What can I do for you?
Speaker 4 (08:35):
I'd like to talk to you about a cannon operation.
Speaker 6 (08:36):
Yeah, I should have known. Come on back here, we
can sit down, all right, watch your heads on the counter.
Speaker 8 (08:41):
Yeah, got a couple of shares back here, Come on,
I can finish up for a second. All right, go ahead, Oh,
I want you to bomb.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
You got any rumbles about a bunch work in the
downtown area?
Speaker 8 (08:51):
What kind of operations?
Speaker 6 (08:52):
Judd Moobs think I heard something about a bunch coming
in from the east KC. I think seems I heard
they worked a couple of skill dates with a cornie
back there. Boss didn't know they were working. When he
found out, he had him kicked off the lot.
Speaker 4 (09:03):
You got any names for us, Nah?
Speaker 6 (09:05):
Not right off, Gonna check around.
Speaker 8 (09:07):
Might be able to come up with him.
Speaker 7 (09:08):
What's the bit.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Yeah, they've been scoring good work in the downtown area.
Took an elderly man for his life savings this morning.
Speaker 6 (09:13):
Uh huh, figures huh. They always pick on the elderly ones.
Bump into a young guy might give you trouble. Pick
the old ones, they don't seem to notice it.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yeah, how you been doing swim?
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Oh good?
Speaker 6 (09:23):
Got it real good. I ain't killing the world, but
my rent's paid. I know there ain't gonna be a
fuzz on my tail tonight.
Speaker 8 (09:28):
I got it real good.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
How long you been here?
Speaker 1 (09:30):
Now? It's good?
Speaker 7 (09:31):
About a year.
Speaker 8 (09:32):
I thought, if I could get permission, might go out
with a carnie this year.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
You know what.
Speaker 6 (09:35):
The front end got a letter from a friend. It's
got a grind store. One of the big ones says
he might be able to get me in a grind store. Yeah,
you know, everybody plays, everybody wins, pay a dime to
win a piece of slum with maybe a couple of cents. Well,
this carne I might go with's got no grift in
the front end. All percentage games. The way I figured,
if you go out with a good one, weather old's
gonna do all right.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
You figured you can come out better than you do here.
Speaker 6 (09:56):
Oh sure, you see, we get a real good play
over the weekends. Regular days is kind of slow. Go
out with a big carnie. You can draw crowds anytime.
If the weather's good, bound to come out better.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
You'll check into those names for us with your slim.
Speaker 8 (10:07):
Yeah, I'll make a couple of calls.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Can you make them now?
Speaker 6 (10:10):
No, I have to get in touch with the guy tonight.
I'll get back to your first thing in the morning.
All right, same number in Michigan, five to one one.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
That's right, buncle fugitive.
Speaker 8 (10:16):
All right, I'll give you a call. Buy you guys
cupt coffee.
Speaker 4 (10:19):
No thanks, Slim, we're just gonna want to come along.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
We'll buy you one.
Speaker 7 (10:22):
Okay.
Speaker 8 (10:23):
Now hold on, I want to check with Harry. I
have him keep an eye on things.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
All right.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Here, you go ahead, Okay, I'll.
Speaker 8 (10:27):
Watch the counter.
Speaker 6 (10:28):
I came up too fast the other day, like took
all the.
Speaker 8 (10:30):
Skin off my back.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
Yeah, hold on a minute, I'll be right back.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
All right. Nice fucking place, huh.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Yeah, he's painted it since we were down here last time.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Yeah, well, let's go.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
Painted up the.
Speaker 6 (10:44):
Place, I slim, Yeah, I thought I might turn a
bigger tip of the place.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Look good.
Speaker 8 (10:48):
You know, people like a clean looking place.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Are the rest of the boots doing down here?
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Slim?
Speaker 8 (10:52):
Were pretty good? And I told you great other time.
Speaker 7 (10:54):
It's a little slow.
Speaker 4 (10:56):
Any grift down here, No, he.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
Said, there is.
Speaker 6 (10:58):
I haven't heard of it in the Santa Monica Police Department,
Lieutenant Cunningham.
Speaker 8 (11:02):
He keeps the place real clean.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 6 (11:04):
The last thing I heard about was a guy who
was working with a camelback wheel. What camelback like mine?
Only this was gaffed. How smoothest pitcher around? The arrow
is connected to a spindle. Spindle goes through a stand.
Looks like it'd be no way to gee it. Plain
pipe looks clean.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
What's a gimmick?
Speaker 8 (11:19):
All the frame rests on four pins.
Speaker 6 (11:21):
Pins are supposed to be what anchors it to the counter?
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Uh huh.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
Now, three of the pins go into one piece of
the counter. They really do hold the wheel in place.
The other one goes through a separate piece of wood
on the booth side of the counter. There's a space
between the board on the booth side and one of
the three legs go through. Now, the pin in the
fourth leg is loose. It's connected with a bunch of
levers inside. The pipe acts as a brake on the wheel.
All the operator has to do is lean against the
board and he's got complete control of the wheel.
Speaker 8 (11:43):
All the time.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
It's a real nice deal of ith.
Speaker 8 (11:45):
The way they figured it's perfect.
Speaker 6 (11:46):
In case they get a cowboy in the crowd, the
mark can pick the wheel right up out of the counter,
shows that there's no wires running to it. Wheel's gaffed.
There's no way to prove it. Set it up with
a couple of sticks in front. Let them win a
couple of times.
Speaker 8 (11:59):
You got it made. It's the way they figure.
Speaker 6 (12:01):
It doesn't work out though, And like on my wheel,
I got one hundred and twenty numbers on it.
Speaker 8 (12:06):
Figure I get good action.
Speaker 6 (12:07):
I'm gonna have maybe half of them covered right off.
The odds are on my side. Lot of the rest
is only one winner. Half of them covered means a
gross of about six bucks. I give away five dollars
worth of grocery. Even with a winner, I come out
every time a percentage of prove it.
Speaker 8 (12:21):
Look at it that way. You don't need a gap wheel.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
That's too bad. More of them don't figure it like this.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
Yeah, I suppose it took me a long time to
find it out.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
Yeah, but you came up with the answers.
Speaker 6 (12:29):
I hope I can do the same for you. On
the cannon operation, so do we. It's funny I get
to think of when I was working as a wire
Now we figured that anytime we could lift a poke
from the mark was a big laugh.
Speaker 8 (12:40):
A lot of difference.
Speaker 6 (12:41):
Now, yeah, now I sleep nights.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Two fifteen pm we continued to talk to our informants,
swim Ramos. He said that he didn't know the name
of the carnival the possible suspects had been fired from.
He said that he'd call some of his contacts and
try to get the information for us. We set up
a time for him to get in touch with us,
and then Frank and I drove back to the office.
We contacted Captain Didion and made arrangements for additional men
to be assigned to help us. Sergeants John Debetta and
(13:11):
Danny Gilmore were asked to aid us in the search
of the market where the victim had been robbed. We
spent the next three hours in the market looking at
the crowd in the hopes that we'd see ann pickpocket
or even see a wire in operation, but the surveillance
netted us nothing. We made arrangements for the victim's bank
to be watched the following morning six fifteen pm Frank
and I got back.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
To the squadroom. Well, you sure he does a good business?
Sendent right the market, Joe, A lot of people going there. Yeah,
what's the matter with you? Well?
Speaker 4 (13:39):
I was just thinking, he said, it comes down to
the point where the only way to hang on to
your money is to carry it in your hand and
keep your fist closed.
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Starting close. I was talking with Lieutenant Jack Swan.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
He was telling me a guy came in here from Nebraska,
came in by bus, you know, were.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Sitting in the station waiting for a coach to take
him up the north.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
Had all his money in his shoe and his shoe, yeah,
had in his left shoe, had the money off flat so.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
We could walk on it. Figured it'd be safe there.
It wasn't it.
Speaker 4 (14:03):
Now dozed off for a minute.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Next thing, he knows, shoes off, the money's gone.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
How would anybody know where it was?
Speaker 5 (14:09):
I don't know the guy that took and founded though.
Guy dozed off for a minute, loses his shoe and
all his money.
Speaker 4 (14:14):
Anything turn up on it?
Speaker 1 (14:15):
No again, well.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Confusitive Friday, Yeah, yeah, slim. What was that name again?
Speaker 1 (14:25):
Yeah? H what do you say about it?
Speaker 4 (14:31):
Wait a minute, right, yeah, here you go pencil soon.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Yeah, okay, thank you? All right, Slim, go ahead whether
it was a K what O l C se isn't Charlie?
Oh t T right?
Speaker 4 (14:51):
You know where they're staying. All right, we'll give us
a call for anything more.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Turns up?
Speaker 4 (14:55):
Huh right, okay, Slim, thanks.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
A lot, right bye? How do you do?
Speaker 4 (15:02):
We're pretty good? Three names of the guys who worked
to Connie and KC. Eh Slim talked to a friend.
Got the information that the guys who work in the
downtown area have been scoring real good.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Say where we could find him?
Speaker 4 (15:12):
No, he's gonna try to get the address for us. Well,
we took a big jump just knowing who they are.
Deal now is to make it work. What do you mean,
al Slim says, his bunch is pretty hinky. They're playing
it real careful.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Yeah, words out.
Speaker 4 (15:22):
They got two more big scores to make it and
then they're gonna leave town.
Speaker 9 (15:36):
You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your
police force election.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
The three names are informant had given us were Howard Kremer,
Victor Lyden, and Edward Olkin.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
We had the names checked through our record bureau. But
we found that none of the three men had been
arrested in Los Angeles, m We got a radiogram off
to the police department in Kansas City, the last place
the trio was known to have worked. We asked that
all information on the thieves beforewarded to it. We also
set a teletype at George Breton up at Sacramento CII,
asking him to check the names for us. The following morning, Wednesday,
(16:15):
Mail eleventh, we got word from Kansas City that the
officials there were forwarding mug shots and descriptions.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Of the three men.
Speaker 4 (16:22):
During the day, Frank and I met with Captain Didion
and a surveillance of the downtown area banks was set up.
On Friday morning, when Frank and I checked in the work,
a special delivery letter was waiting for us. In it,
we found the records and pictures of premer Lydon and Alcotte.
The pictures were handed over to the photo lab and
they started.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
To reproduce them.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
The descriptions were sent to the print shop and mo
o sheets were made up as soon as possible. The
pictures and the bulletins were distributed to all bank guards
in the area. Additional officers from Bunco fugitive were placed
in the vicinity. Frank and I maintained a ruling stakeout
in the downtown area. At nine pm Friday night, the
banks closed and we'd got no report that the thieves
had worked. Local broadcasts were gotten out on the end,
(17:02):
but there were no replying. Monday, May sixteenth, the plan
was put into effect again no results. Tuesday, the gang
didn't work, began to look as if they might have
closed up operations in Los Angeles and moved. On Wednesday,
May eighteenth, Thank and I came back from lunch. I
get it, Uncle fugited Friday, Yes, sir, that's right. Where right? No,
(17:30):
don't do anything to let him know.
Speaker 7 (17:32):
Right, Well, let's.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
Go some good.
Speaker 4 (17:35):
The Shover bank guard just spotted him. The call had
come from a bank at the corner of Seventh in
Jackson Streets. The guard told us that he'd seen one
of the suspects enter the bank and, under the pretense
of filling out deposit slips, observed the withdrawals that the
customers were making. It took us a little under three
(17:55):
minutes to get to the address. We checked with the
guard and he pointed out the suspect he pretended to
make out a deposit slip while I waited at the
new account desk. When we entered the bank, the suspect
was standing at the teller's window.
Speaker 1 (18:07):
In front of him was an elderly man.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
As the lion moved up, the suspect began to examine
the slip that he'd made out. Then, as the elderly
man took his turn at the window, the suspect walked
away and stopped by the door. He waited for the
man to finish his business at the teller's counter. Then
as he passed through the door, the suspect fell and
stepped behind him. Frank and I followed him down the street.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
As he walked through the crowds, he was joined by
Edward Alcott, the shover in the operation.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
The elderly man entered a small.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Tobacco store, and as he went through the door, the
wire Howard Kremer joined the other two suspects. As the
elderly man stood at the counter waiting to be served,
the shover walked over to.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
The magazine rang. He stood looking at the magazines for
a moment, and then as he turned away, he seemingly
tripped and fell against the proposed victim. Though Frank and
I knew what it was coming. We were watching for it,
and yet and he missed the actual fift. The wire
moved in and removed the victim's money so fast that
we couldn't see it. The shover took the wallet from
the wire, and the gang was ready to move on.
Frank and I stepped into him. All right, mister police officers,
(19:03):
you're under a ask for what stop dreaming? You know
the rot? And now come on, come on.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
All right, mister, come on on, your get up. You're
waiting to complete me alone. You're going to recract this
shoving a citizen around, no reason for this.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
How about the other two?
Speaker 4 (19:29):
They're out all right, Let's get him downtown. How about
the victim until he left when the beat started? Better
try to catch him.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
You're gonna be sorry for this jewweight. You're gonna be
real sorry.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
Shoving an not a citizen around. Yeah, that's a trouble
with you punks. What do you mean you're rung on
both counts. The three suspects were taken into custody and
brought downtown. The victim's wallet was found on the person
of Edward Dolphin, who was identified by the owner and
booked his evidence. Three point fifteen pm.
Speaker 2 (19:56):
We took the wire Howard Kremer to the interrogation room.
Sit down, Trammer, Yeah, all right, you want to give
us a statement or what, come off, But you know
what we're talking about.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
You've got to have me a cross with somebody else.
Speaker 2 (20:13):
I'm trying to level with you. I don't know what
you're talking about. You want us to lay it out
for you.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
I don't care much either way.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
You guys slamm into a store where I'm trying to
buy a pack of cigarettes, and all of a sudden
I got handcuffs on you tell me I'm hooked for
being a pickpocket. That's the way you want to tell it,
durin't any other words?
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Your two friends tell it different?
Speaker 3 (20:28):
What two friends?
Speaker 4 (20:28):
Two fellas? We picked up with you.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
This is a big time a lot of people. You
walk into a store, you don't ask who's standing next
to you.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
They put the whole deal on you. Who lying?
Speaker 4 (20:36):
And Alton never heard them. How long do you figure
you're going to keep this up, mister?
Speaker 3 (20:40):
As long as it takes to get you on my side.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
They don't build days that long. If that's your loss.
I'm a nice fellow if you take the time to
get to know them.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
All right, Kramer, this is way off the road. Now,
maybe you got all day. We haven't. You can either
give it to us here and now we can drop
you into a cell and let you wait it out.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
You put me in a tank and I'll be out
in half an hour.
Speaker 1 (20:57):
How many times you've been arrested? Who says there was
a first? How many times you've got the books?
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Look it up?
Speaker 4 (21:01):
We ask you a question.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
So I'm not a genius.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
I got trouble with addition, take everything out of your pockets.
Come on, or why?
Speaker 1 (21:08):
Look?
Speaker 4 (21:08):
You run a lot of funny time here, Kremer.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
Then you're better ring the bell because I'll need more
of it.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
You got a job, yeah, I'm a president of a bank.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
You're going way out on this, Kramer.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
I like the senior You work where round? No special places?
Speaker 4 (21:18):
What do you do? I'm a sales What do you sell?
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Whatever people can afford?
Speaker 1 (21:21):
All right?
Speaker 4 (21:21):
Now, come on, put your things on the table right now.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
You can sign a receipt.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
They aren't got to be taken from me. You want
to see what you're carrying?
Speaker 3 (21:26):
Okay, you boys deserve a break. But I'll tell you now,
the numbers on my phone book are mine. Don't go
near him.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
Come on, get it up.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Here's my what.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Handkerchief, comb, nail flippers, and change, A couple of ticket
stuffs from a movie, a lousy picture.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
Cigarette slider.
Speaker 1 (21:43):
That's it.
Speaker 4 (21:44):
You got any money in that wallet?
Speaker 7 (21:45):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:45):
How much?
Speaker 3 (21:46):
I don't know. I don't pay much attention to how
much I'm carrying.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
You can't even come close.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
How much you got? No, take it out and count it?
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (21:54):
One? Two, three? All right?
Speaker 3 (21:59):
Comes off to thirty seven hundred dollars.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
You must do real good at that salesmor job company
pays big commissions.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
I put the money in your pocket.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
Why don't you put it into it?
Speaker 1 (22:06):
What'd you say?
Speaker 2 (22:07):
Look, cop, I've been around. I've been with most of
the cardies in the country one time or another.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
I know the score.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
There ain't a place in the world that the fixed
can't be put in. And why don't you just take
the money? You drop it in your pocket and I
forget I was ever in here? Won't be nobody hurt.
The old guys maybe out a couple of hundred bucks,
but so what you won't miss it. Why not put
the fix?
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Them will both come.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
Out all right?
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Now?
Speaker 4 (22:27):
The fix just curdled Grimmer.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Why you said we had the record? What you called it?
Speaker 4 (22:30):
We got all the word about you way down the line.
You talk about how you worked with Carnies.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
How long? Huh?
Speaker 4 (22:34):
What's the longest time you ever stayed with one outfit?
I like the move, Yeah, sure you do. That's the
way that people who run the show wanted decent Carnie
doesn't want a guy like you were around. You were
anybody like you. You've been on the road taking money
away from people who can't afford it for a long time, now,
wen you and you come in here acting like a
big man. You do the indignant bit, and then when.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
That doesn't work, you try to buy your way out.
Speaker 4 (22:51):
You've had it, mister, We know it, and your two
buddies know it. What are you going to take a
good look?
Speaker 3 (22:55):
You really figure you've got it made.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
We know we have.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
The other two guys really caught off.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
The whole thing all comes down to how you engineered it.
You will buy what they say, we buy it. Then
there isn't much more for me to say.
Speaker 4 (23:07):
Is it not a great deal.
Speaker 3 (23:08):
Now, okay, let's go.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
How about a statement? Why make it easier on yourself?
Use your FI CAPI you know what I mean?
Speaker 3 (23:15):
Yeah, all right, bring the girl in. I'll give you
a statement.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Pray, yeah you mind? If I have a smoke? What
was that I said? Your mind?
Speaker 3 (23:26):
If I have a smoke? No, go ahead, wild one,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Head it all down? So pat good, shover better dug ma.
I'll sit in the front row with any wire in
the business. All that don't add up to a winner.
Speaker 9 (23:48):
That's like you said, huh, you get trouble with addition,
Lord Nathan Kremer, Edward Francis Halcott, and Victor Frederick Lytton
were tried and convicted on six counts of grand theft
money and received sentence. As prescribed by law, grand theft
(24:11):
money is punishable by imprisonment on the state penitentiary for
a period of not.
Speaker 8 (24:14):
Less than one nor more than ten years.
Speaker 6 (24:18):
Dragnet is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces
Radio Service.
Speaker 10 (25:01):
Satan stops, Supper, super Spot selects a.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Stop set, super
Speaker 10 (25:28):
Strength Comer Stables, Supercomers sets,
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