On the Air: Thrills and Mysteries from Yesterday

Friday and Smith are called to investigate the suspicious death of a two-year-old girl. The mother claims the child died accidentally, but inconsistencies in her story and signs of prior injuries raise serious concerns.

Friday and Smith are stumped by a wave of car thefts across Los Angeles. The twist? The stolen cars are being resold with forged pink slips—phony ownership papers that look convincingly real.

The case begins with a report from a tie factory owner who claims a large number of high-end ties were stolen. These aren’t ordinary accessories—they’re custom, hand-painted neckties, valued for their craftsmanship and exclusivity.

The detectives are called in after multiple hotels report being robbed by a man who uses a gun and a mask. Witnesses consistently describe one odd detail: the suspect has no front tooth, which becomes the key identifier in narrowing down suspects.

Sgt. Joe Friday goes undercover to stop a socially prominent man from hiring someone to murder his wife. The suspect confides in a friend about his plan, and Friday poses as the hitman to gather evidence.

A watch salesman from Seattle attending a jewellery convention in Los Angeles reports a robbery: he claims two men posing as buyers stole his expensive sample watches at gunpoint.

Friday and Smith are assigned to investigate a string of armed robberies targeting small businesses. The suspects are two men working in tandem, hitting locations late at night and escaping with cash.

Sgt. Joe Friday and Officer Frank Smith are called in when a young boy is found wandering alone. As they investigate, they discover the child’s father is a con artist and chronic liar, using his son as emotional bait to gain sympathy and manipulate others.

A gang of thieves looting upscale homes for furs and jewels worth $100,000. Sgt. Joe Friday and Officer Ben Romero investigate a string of burglaries that appear coordinated and professional.

A man is shot during a liquor store robbery, and the only evidence left behind is a spent bullet—the “slug.” Friday and Smith begin a meticulous investigation, tracing the slug to a specific type of revolver and narrowing down suspects based on ballistics, witness accounts, and criminal profiles.

A jewelry store reports the theft of $80,000 worth of gems, stolen in a clean, professional-style robbery. The only clue? A witness saw the suspect wearing a distinctive big hat and escaping in a taxi.

A man reports being swindled out of $1,500, his life savings, in a classic bunco scam. The con artists convince him to exchange cash for what they claim is valuable jewelry—but the items turn out to be worthless imitations.

A series of home break-ins has the LAPD puzzled—not just because of the thefts, but because the suspect leaves behind a chilling signature: he kills the homeowners’ pet birds.

Sgt. Joe Friday and Officer Frank Smith investigate a string of bad checks being passed around Los Angeles. The twist? The forger is using the name of Parker Allington, a long-deceased movie villain.

A department store reports a shoplifting incident involving a young boy. When Friday and Smith arrive, they find the boy has stolen a small religious medal—a token.

The episode begins with a report of multiple burglaries occurring in a large residential complex. The victims all live in different units, but the crimes share a common pattern: no signs of forced entry, and valuables taken with surgical precision.

A man is found unconscious in an alley, badly beaten and robbed. Witnesses are scarce, and the victim can’t remember much—except that his attacker was a large man known around town as “The Mug.”

A camera shop reports a burglary, and the only clue left behind is a broken lens found near the scene. Friday and Smith begin tracing the lens through manufacturers and distributors, eventually linking it to a rare camera model sold to a local amateur photographer.

A camera shop reports a burglary, and the only clue left behind is a broken lens found near the scene. Friday and Smith begin tracing the lens through manufacturers and distributors, eventually linking it to a rare camera model sold to a local amateur photographer.