April 16, 2025 • 25 mins
Please enjoy Big Pick a great episode of the OTR legend Dragnet
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Ladies and gentlemen. The story or abacto here is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent drag
Man's You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a Bunco fugitive detail.
An organized gang of pickpockets is working in your city.
(00:30):
None of the victims can give a description of the suspects.
There's no lead to their identity. Your job get them.
It was Tuesday, May tenth. We were working the day
Watch out of Bocal Fugitive Division Pickpocket Detail. My partners
Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Didion. My name was signing.
(00:50):
I was on my way back from communications and it
was eleven fourteen am when I got to Room thirty
eight Bunco. Well, yeah, anything come in from Saint Louis. Yeah,
they checked the Connies playing back there and no trace
of back Tip's wrong then, huh yeah, it looks like
it four too. Now, I thought, 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 word on him somewhere. I'll be glad and
(01:12):
returned the key or excuse me, Yes, sir, how one
did they could help me?
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Well try, sir. You wanna come on in? What's it
all about?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I've been robbed, sir. 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 or do you wanna
sit down?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Please, 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. This is my partner, Frank Smith. My name is Friday.
Maybe if you tell us what happened here we could
help you.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yes, maybe, I'm Lewis Bonning, Yes, sir, I lived at
eighteen twenty Woodworth Court, Los Angeles, twelve.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I have a room there. I see fourteen dollars a
week in privileges.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
If you tell us what happened, mister bonb I think
we might be able to do something for you.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
I'm trying to tell you, trying to think of what happened.
I don't believe it yet. I know you said you
were robbed, Is that right?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Five two hundred dollars all gone?
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Where were you held out?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
No? Nothing like that. If it was that way i'd know.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
But just all of a sudden, I put my hand
in my pocket to feel the money, and it wasn't there.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Nothing was there. I had a pocket pull of empty.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
I'm ill, sir, to usually carry that much money around
with you.
Speaker 3 (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 1 (02:34):
All right, I suppose you start right at the beginning
and tell us the whole story with me.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
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. Yes, sir, if you'd gone about the death, please, Well,
I thought i'd maybe go back to call it to
live with one of my daughters. She asked me to come,
and I thought I would, so I drew out the money.
(02:58):
You took the money out of the bank, Yes, this morning,
five thousand, 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 1 (03:06):
Well, you could have had the money transferred.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
You know, I guess that's what I should have done,
but it's too late.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Now. Did you have the money when you left the bank? Uh?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
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.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
It was there. And what'd you do?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
After you left the bank? And 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 at my room, so I didn't wanna
make a mess. I thought i'd have a cup of
coffee out m R. I went into Big Market. They
have a coffee condo there, and I went in and
sat down. All the time, I kept my hand on
the money. I could peel it through the pants. Was
(03:44):
in my pocket.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Gotcha.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
I had the coffee in and I went to go
out of the market. As I walked through, all the
people of the box fell off a stack of boxes
and 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 if I was all right,
But I said yes, that was all right. Then I
went out of the market. I got on the street.
When I remembered about the money as it was gone.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I'd have been taken from me in the market. Is
that right?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yes, it's in the market. I think.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Well, let's get this straight. While you were in there,
did anyone bump into you?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
I don't understand.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
I mean, anyone jostly you bump into you without reason? Mm?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
No, No, I don't remember.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Did anybody follow you from the bank to the market
that you noticed?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
It was hard to tell, mister. There are a lot
of people on the streets. Would be hard to tell
if there was anyone.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Yes, I understand. Was there any one person to recall
having seen this morning, one face that you might remember?
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Maybe no, mister, I I tried to think about it,
but there's no one I see.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Do you think you'll get it back for me?
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Sure?
Speaker 2 (04:43):
The money? It makes a big difference. How was that before?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
When I had the money, I could go and live
with my daughter. With the money, I could be independent,
be a different feeling. You understand, don't you, Yes, sure
I do. That's why it's so important to get the
money back so I can go live with my daughter,
So I can do that that's showingly reason I trouble you,
the only reason I have to ask you to find
the man.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
That's the only reason I got.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
That's a little different with us, sir, 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 pickpockets seldom works alone.
Like everything else, it's gotten to be a highly specialized operation. Normally,
there are several mens to each team, the jug mob
(05:29):
who usually spends 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 short who works street cars
and spots people who have large amounts of money. Under
normal circumstances, a professional group of pickpockets can take approximately
(05:49):
five thousand dollars a day out of a tip or
a crowd. Eleven forty seven am, we had the victim
Lewis Bonding looked through the pictures of known pickpockets where
possible identify cation 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 check back into the office.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
They're rougher.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Uh yeah, they all come out of that color, don't they.
I sure hope we can do.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Some good for him.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yeah, nice old guy. You wanna get in touch with
Slim Ramos. Let's go down and talk to him. He
might be able to come up with something. Yeah, I'll
get his number, could get a new book. This was
getting almost impossible to use or hum of the numbers
all crossed out, you know when they change the prefixes. Yeah,
they made a mess out of my book. And it's
(06:40):
that's cry or Slim Ramos.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
There.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
I just slamed this. Frank Smith. 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 to
check over you. Yeah, okay, see here on two thirty
Huh is that all right? Yeah? Okay, No, I know
(07:18):
where it is right, see you, then it's gonna be
in all afternoon, said he'd be glad to see this. Good.
Maybe he's got something we can use on this thing. Well,
he'll lay it out for us if he has. Oh,
it's the one good thing about starting with nothing in it. Yeah,
we can only go one way, Trobo. Six pm, Frank
and I checked out of the office and we started
(07:39):
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 Quepin. After he'd been paroled, he'd
opened a small stand on one 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. Ramos was operating a Wheel of Fortune
booth at the end of the pier. Frank and I
(08:00):
parked the car and walked out buy the place.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Huh.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Yeah, I got to bring the kids down here some Sunday.
They got a real kick out of it. Yeah. That
Slim's booth therely. Yeah, I don't see him. They said
he'd be here. He might be around back. Yeah, I
should like to win one of those hands. Yeah, big
ones at the h slim you around, yeah, hold on.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Me right out, all right, Joe Frank, Oh, how the
bank packaging in the grocery?
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Uh huh.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
What can I do for you?
Speaker 1 (08:32):
I'd like to talk to you about a cannon operation.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Yeah, I should have known.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Gone back here, we can sit down, all right, watch
your heads on the counter. Yeah, got a couple of
sharing back here. Come on and finish up in a second, right,
go ahead, Oh, I want you to bond.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
You got any rumbles about a bunch work in the
downtown area?
Speaker 2 (08:48):
What kind of operation?
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Judd Bobs like?
Speaker 3 (08:51):
I heard something about a bunch coming in from the
east k C. I think seems I heard they worked
a couple of school dates with.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
A county back there. Boss didn't know they were working.
When he found out, he had him kicked off lot.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
You got any names for us.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Nah, right off, it's gonna check around. I might be
able to come up with him.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
What's the bit.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Yeah, they've been scoring good work in the downtown area.
Took an elderly man for his life savings this morning.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
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 (09:18):
Yeah, how you been doing slim?
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Oh good? Got it real good.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
I ain't killing the world, but my rent's paid and
I know there ain't gonna be a fuzz on my
tail tonight, man, I got it real good.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
How long you been here now?
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Oh there's good. About a year. I thought, if I
could get permission, might go out with a carnie this year.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
You know what.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
The front end got a letter from a friend that'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. They had diame to
win a piece of slum with maybe a couple of
cents its carnie.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
I might go with. It's got no grift in the
front end, all percentage games.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Way.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
I figured you go out with a good one. Weather
old's gonna do all right.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
You figure you can come out better than you do here.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
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
the weather good bound to come out better.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
You'll check into those names for us when you, Slim.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Yeah, I'll make a couple of calls.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Can you make him now?
Speaker 2 (10:06):
No, I have to get in touch with the guy tonight.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
I'll get back to your first thing in the morning,
all right, for same number, Michigan five to one.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
That's right, buncle, few do all right, I'll give you
a call. Buy you guys cipt coffee.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
No thanks, Slim, We're just gonna want to come along
and buy you one.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Okay. Now hold on, I want to check with Harry.
I have him keep an eye on things.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
All right.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Here you go ahead, okay, now.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Watch the counter. I came up too fast the other day.
I took all the skin off my back. Yeah, hold
on a minute, I'll be right back all right.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Nice sucking place, huh. Yeah, he's painted it since we
were down here last time. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Well, let's go.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Handed up the place, I slim.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Yeah, I thought I might turn a bigger tip of the place.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Look good. You know, people like the clean up in
the place.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
How are the rest of the boots doing down here? Slim?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
You were pretty good and then told you it's great.
Other time.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
It's a little slow. U any grift down here?
Speaker 3 (10:53):
No, he said, If there is, I haven't heard of it.
Guy in the Santa Monic Police Department, Lieutenant Cunningham, he
keeps the place real clean.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
The last thing I heard about was a guy who
was working with a camelback wheeling a 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 get plane pipe
looks CLEANSIMMI. Well, the frame rests on four pins. Pins
are supposed to be what anchors it to the counter.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Huh.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Now, three of the pins go into one piece of
the counter. They really do hold the wheel in place.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
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 and 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.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Complete control of the wheel. All the time.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
It's a real nice deal, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
The way they figured it's perfect In case they get
a cowboy in the crowd. The mark and pick the
wheel right up out of the counter shows that there's
no wires running to it.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
The wheel's gaffed. There's no way to prove it.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Set it up with a couple of sticks.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
In front, let them win a couple of times. You
got it made. It's the way they figure. It doesn't work.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Out though, And like on my wheel, I got one
hundred and twenty numbers on it. Figure I get good action.
I'm gonna have maybe half of them covered right off.
The odds are on my side. Part of the rest
is only one win. Half of them covered means a
gross is about six bucks. I give away five dollars
worth of grocery even with a winner. I come out
every time percentage.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Just prove it. But if that way you don't need
a gaff.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Wheel, that's too bad. More of them don't figure it
like that.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Yeah, I suppose it took me a long time to
find it out.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Yeah, but you came up with the answers.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
I hope I knew the same for you.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
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, A lot
of difference now yeah, Now I sleep.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Next two fifteen pm and continued to talk to our informant,
Slim Rams. He said that he didn't know the name
of the carnival the possible suspects had been fired from.
He said that he calls over 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
(13:00):
contacted Captain Didion and made arrangements for additional men to
be assigned to help us. Sergeants John Debetta and Danny
Gilmour 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 and known the pickpocket,
or even see a wire in operation, but the surveillance
netted us nothing. We made arrangements for the victim's bank
(13:21):
to be watched the following morning, six fifteen pm in fact,
and I got back to the squad rooms. Well, sure
he does a good business endent right on the market, Joe,
A lot of people going there. Yeah, what's the matter
with you? Well, I was just thinking. I guess 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. Sturn close. I
(13:41):
was talking with Lieutenant Jack Swan. He was telling me
a guy came in here from Nebraska, came in by bus.
You know, we sat in the station waiting for a
coach to take him up the north. Had all his
money in his shoe. In his shoe, yeah, had in
his left shoe, had the money all flasks. We could
walk on it. Figured it'd be safe there, but wasn't it. No,
throzed off for a minute, and next thing he knows,
shoes off, the money's gone. How would anybody know where
(14:03):
it was? I don't know the guy that took it.
Founded though, guy dozed off for a minute, loses his
shoe and all his money. Anything turn off on her?
No again? Oh oh confusitive Friday. Yeah yeah, slim What
was that name again?
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Uh huh? What do you say about it, they'll wait man, right, yeah,
here you go, yeah, pencil pencilton yeah, okay, thank you?
All right, Slim, go ahead. Whether they were a k
uh uh clay O l C see, isn't Charlie O
(14:44):
t T right? You know where they're staying, right, alright,
We'll give us a call if any more turns off.
Huh right, okay, Slim, thanks a lot, right bye, How
do you do? We're pretty good? Three names of the
guys who worked the Connie and kne Eh. Slim talked
to a friend, got the information that the guys who
work in the downtown area been scoring real good. Say
(15:05):
where we could find him? No, he's gonna try to
get the address for us. 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 planning it real careful. Yeah,
words out. They got two more big scores to make
and then they're gonna leave town.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
You are listening to drag Met the authentic story of
your police force in ections.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
The three names are informat that's given us. Were Howard Kremer,
Victor Wyden and Edward Olker. We had the names checked
through our record bureau, but we found that none of
the three men has been arrested in Los Angeles. We
got a radiogram off to the police department in Kansas City,
the last place the trio was known to have worked.
We asked them all information on the thieves befowarded to us.
We also set a teletype of George Bretton up in
(16:04):
the Sacramento CII, asking him to check the names for us.
The following morning, Wednesday, Mail eleventh, who got word from
Kansas City that the officials there were forwarding mug shots
and descriptions of the three man. During the day, Frank
and I met with Captain Dideon 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
(16:26):
the records and pictures of premer Lydon and Alcotte. The
pictures were handed over to the photo lab and they
started to reproduce them. The descriptions were sent to the
print shop and mo 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
(16:49):
Friday night, the banks closed and we'd gotten no report
that the thieves had worked. Local broadcasts were gotten out
on the men, but there were no replies. Monday, May sixteenth,
the plan was put into effect again. 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
(17:11):
get it. Uncle put it to Friday. Yes, sir, that's right.
Where right? No, don't do anything, let him know, right.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
I'm good. 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
(17:47):
under three minutes to get to the address. We checked
with the guard and he pointed out the suspect. Bright
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. In front
of him was an elderly man. 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,
(18:08):
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. As he walked through the crowds,
he was joined by Edward Alcott, the shover in the operation.
The elderly man entered a small tobacco store, and as
he went through the door, the wire Howard Kremer joined
(18:28):
the other two suspects. As the elderly man stood at
the counter waiting to be served, the shover walked over
to 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 it was coming, we were watching for it,
and yet and we missed the actual theft. The wire
moved in and removed the victim's money so fast that
(18:48):
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 officer,
you're under a provo. Stopped dreaming, you know the rod.
Now come on, all right, mister, come on, your friends,
(19:12):
get up, prompt me along. You're going to retract this.
Shoving a citizen around?
Speaker 2 (19:20):
No reason for this. How about the other two?
Speaker 1 (19:21):
They're out porryly, Let's get him downtown. How about the victim?
So he left when the beak started, Better try to
catch him. You're gonna be sorry for that, said you wait,
They're gonna be real sorry. Shoving a not a citizen around.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Yeah, that's a trouble with you punksy Well do you
mean here?
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Run on both counts. The three suspects were taken in
the custody in Broad Downtown. The victim's wallet was found
on the person of Edward Alca, who was identified by
the owner and booked his evidence three fifteen to him.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
We took the wire.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Howard Kramer to the interrogation room, said, yeah, all right,
you want to give us a statement or what, come off,
But you know what we're talking about. You've got to
have me a cross with somebody else. I'm trying to
level with you. I don't know what they're talking about.
You want us to lay it out for you. I
don't care what's either way. You guys slam into a
(20:10):
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 book for being a pickpocket. That's the
way you want to tell it. Bring't any other words.
Your two friends tell it different?
Speaker 2 (20:19):
What two friends?
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Two fellas? We picked up with you. This is a
big time a lot of people. You walk into a store,
you don't ask who's standing next to you. They put
the whole day along you who lying in? Auntin never
heard them? How long do you figure you're gonna keep
this up, mister? As long as it take us to
get you on my side. They don't build days that
long affect your loss. I'm a nice fellow if you
take the time to get to know me. All right, Crammer,
this is way off the road. Now, maybe you've got
all day. We haven't. You can either give it to
(20:42):
us here and now we can drop you into a
cell and let you wait it out. You put me
in a tank and I'll be out in half an hour.
How many times you've been arrested? Who says there was
a first? How many times you've got the books? Look
it up?
Speaker 2 (20:52):
We asked you a question.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
So I'm not a genius. I got trouble with addition,
take everything out of your pockets? What come on? Or why?
Another funny time here? Kremmer. Then you're better ring the
bell because I'll need more of it. You got a job, Yeah,
I'm a president of a bank. You're going way out
on this, Crammer. I like the senior you work? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Where round?
Speaker 1 (21:08):
No special place? What do you do? I'm a sales
What do you sell? Whatever people can afford? All right? Now,
come on, put your things on the table right now.
You're gonna sign a receipt. Yeah, I gotta be taken
from me. You want to see what you're carrying. 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. Come on, get it up. Here's my wat, handkerchief, comb,
nail clippers, and change, a couple of ticket stuff from
(21:31):
a movie, a lowsy picture, cigarette, slider. That's it. You
got any money in that wallet? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Not much.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
I don't know. I don't pay much attention to how.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Much Trump carrying it.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
You can't even come close how much you've got? No,
take it out and con it? Okay, one, two, three,
all right? Comes off to thirty seven hundred dollars. You
must do real good at that. Sales of a job
company pays big commissions. And I put the money in
your pocket. Why don't you put it in you it?
Would you say? Look, cop, I've been around, I've been
(22:00):
with most of the carbis in the country one time
or another. I know the score. There ain't a place
in the world that the fixed camp 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 hundred bucks. But so what, you won't
miss it? Why not put the fix? Them will both
come on all right now? The fix just curdled Grimmer.
Why you said we had the record where you called him.
(22:21):
We got all the word about you way down the line.
You talk about how you worked with Carnies. How long?
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Huh?
Speaker 1 (22:25):
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 we near you and you come in here acting
like a big man. You do the indignant bit, and
then when that doesn't work, you try to buy your
way out. You've had it, mister, We know it, and
your two buddies know it. What are you going to
take a good look? You really figure you've got it made.
(22:47):
We know we have the other two guys really cough out.
The whole thing all comes down to how you engineered it.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
You buy what they say, we buy it.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Then there isn't much more for me to say, is
it not a great deal? No? Okay, let's go a statement.
Why make it easier on yourself?
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Easy?
Speaker 1 (23:02):
If I copa you know what I mean? Yeah? All right,
bring the girl in. I'll give you a statement. R Yeah,
you mind?
Speaker 2 (23:11):
If I had a smoke? What was that?
Speaker 1 (23:15):
I said?
Speaker 2 (23:15):
You mind?
Speaker 6 (23:16):
If I have a smoke, then I'll go ahead, wild one,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Head it all down? So okay? Good shover better?
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Chuck ma. I'll sit in the front row with any
wire in the business. All that I don't add up
to a winner. That's like you said, huh, you get
trouble with addition.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
Howard 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
money is punishable by imprisonment in the state penitentiary for
a period.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Of not less than one nor more than ten years.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Dragnet is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
Service stop
Speaker 1 (25:18):
At
Ladies and gentlemen. The story or abacto here is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent drag
Man's You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a Bunco fugitive detail.
An organized gang of pickpockets is working in your city.
(00:30):
None of the victims can give a description of the suspects.
There's no lead to their identity. Your job get them.
It was Tuesday, May tenth. We were working the day
Watch out of Bocal Fugitive Division Pickpocket Detail. My partners
Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Didion. My name was signing.
(00:50):
I was on my way back from communications and it
was eleven fourteen am when I got to Room thirty
eight Bunco. Well, yeah, anything come in from Saint Louis. Yeah,
they checked the Connies playing back there and no trace
of back Tip's wrong then, huh yeah, it looks like
it four too. Now, I thought, 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 word on him somewhere. I'll be glad and
(01:12):
returned the key or excuse me, Yes, sir, how one
did they could help me?
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Well try, sir. You wanna come on in? What's it
all about?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
I've been robbed, sir. 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 or do you wanna
sit down?
Speaker 2 (01:31):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Please, 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. This is my partner, Frank Smith. My name is Friday.
Maybe if you tell us what happened here we could
help you.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Yes, maybe, I'm Lewis Bonning, Yes, sir, I lived at
eighteen twenty Woodworth Court, Los Angeles, twelve.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I have a room there. I see fourteen dollars a
week in privileges.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
If you tell us what happened, mister bonb I think
we might be able to do something for you.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
I'm trying to tell you, trying to think of what happened.
I don't believe it yet. I know you said you
were robbed, Is that right?
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Five two hundred dollars all gone?
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Where were you held out?
Speaker 2 (02:12):
No? Nothing like that. If it was that way i'd know.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
But just all of a sudden, I put my hand
in my pocket to feel the money, and it wasn't there.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Nothing was there. I had a pocket pull of empty.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
I'm ill, sir, to usually carry that much money around
with you.
Speaker 3 (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 1 (02:34):
All right, I suppose you start right at the beginning
and tell us the whole story with me.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
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. Yes, sir, if you'd gone about the death, please, Well,
I thought i'd maybe go back to call it to
live with one of my daughters. She asked me to come,
and I thought I would, so I drew out the money.
(02:58):
You took the money out of the bank, Yes, this morning,
five thousand, 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 1 (03:06):
Well, you could have had the money transferred.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
You know, I guess that's what I should have done,
but it's too late.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Now. Did you have the money when you left the bank? Uh?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
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.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
It was there. And what'd you do?
Speaker 3 (03:22):
After you left the bank? And 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 at my room, so I didn't wanna
make a mess. I thought i'd have a cup of
coffee out m R. I went into Big Market. They
have a coffee condo there, and I went in and
sat down. All the time, I kept my hand on
the money. I could peel it through the pants. Was
(03:44):
in my pocket.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Gotcha.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
I had the coffee in and I went to go
out of the market. As I walked through, all the
people of the box fell off a stack of boxes
and 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 if I was all right,
But I said yes, that was all right. Then I
went out of the market. I got on the street.
When I remembered about the money as it was gone.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
I'd have been taken from me in the market. Is
that right?
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yes, it's in the market. I think.
Speaker 1 (04:13):
Well, let's get this straight. While you were in there,
did anyone bump into you?
Speaker 2 (04:16):
I don't understand.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
I mean, anyone jostly you bump into you without reason? Mm?
Speaker 2 (04:21):
No, No, I don't remember.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Did anybody follow you from the bank to the market
that you noticed?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
It was hard to tell, mister. There are a lot
of people on the streets. Would be hard to tell
if there was anyone.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Yes, I understand. Was there any one person to recall
having seen this morning, one face that you might remember?
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Maybe no, mister, I I tried to think about it,
but there's no one I see.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Do you think you'll get it back for me?
Speaker 1 (04:42):
Sure?
Speaker 2 (04:43):
The money? It makes a big difference. How was that before?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
When I had the money, I could go and live
with my daughter. With the money, I could be independent,
be a different feeling. You understand, don't you, Yes, sure
I do. That's why it's so important to get the
money back so I can go live with my daughter,
So I can do that that's showingly reason I trouble you,
the only reason I have to ask you to find
the man.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
That's the only reason I got.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
That's a little different with us, sir, 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 pickpockets seldom works alone.
Like everything else, it's gotten to be a highly specialized operation. Normally,
there are several mens to each team, the jug mob
(05:29):
who usually spends 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 short who works street cars
and spots people who have large amounts of money. Under
normal circumstances, a professional group of pickpockets can take approximately
(05:49):
five thousand dollars a day out of a tip or
a crowd. Eleven forty seven am, we had the victim
Lewis Bonding looked through the pictures of known pickpockets where
possible identify cation 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 check back into the office.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
They're rougher.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Uh yeah, they all come out of that color, don't they.
I sure hope we can do.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Some good for him.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yeah, nice old guy. You wanna get in touch with
Slim Ramos. Let's go down and talk to him. He
might be able to come up with something. Yeah, I'll
get his number, could get a new book. This was
getting almost impossible to use or hum of the numbers
all crossed out, you know when they change the prefixes. Yeah,
they made a mess out of my book. And it's
(06:40):
that's cry or Slim Ramos.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
There.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
I just slamed this. Frank Smith. 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 to
check over you. Yeah, okay, see here on two thirty
Huh is that all right? Yeah? Okay, No, I know
(07:18):
where it is right, see you, then it's gonna be
in all afternoon, said he'd be glad to see this. Good.
Maybe he's got something we can use on this thing. Well,
he'll lay it out for us if he has. Oh,
it's the one good thing about starting with nothing in it. Yeah,
we can only go one way, Trobo. Six pm, Frank
and I checked out of the office and we started
(07:39):
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 Quepin. After he'd been paroled, he'd
opened a small stand on one 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. Ramos was operating a Wheel of Fortune
booth at the end of the pier. Frank and I
(08:00):
parked the car and walked out buy the place.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Huh.
Speaker 1 (08:06):
Yeah, I got to bring the kids down here some Sunday.
They got a real kick out of it. Yeah. That
Slim's booth therely. Yeah, I don't see him. They said
he'd be here. He might be around back. Yeah, I
should like to win one of those hands. Yeah, big
ones at the h slim you around, yeah, hold on.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Me right out, all right, Joe Frank, Oh, how the
bank packaging in the grocery?
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Uh huh.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
What can I do for you?
Speaker 1 (08:32):
I'd like to talk to you about a cannon operation.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Yeah, I should have known.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Gone back here, we can sit down, all right, watch
your heads on the counter. Yeah, got a couple of
sharing back here. Come on and finish up in a second, right,
go ahead, Oh, I want you to bond.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
You got any rumbles about a bunch work in the
downtown area?
Speaker 2 (08:48):
What kind of operation?
Speaker 1 (08:49):
Judd Bobs like?
Speaker 3 (08:51):
I heard something about a bunch coming in from the
east k C. I think seems I heard they worked
a couple of school dates with.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
A county back there. Boss didn't know they were working.
When he found out, he had him kicked off lot.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
You got any names for us.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Nah, right off, it's gonna check around. I might be
able to come up with him.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
What's the bit.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Yeah, they've been scoring good work in the downtown area.
Took an elderly man for his life savings this morning.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
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 (09:18):
Yeah, how you been doing slim?
Speaker 2 (09:19):
Oh good? Got it real good.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
I ain't killing the world, but my rent's paid and
I know there ain't gonna be a fuzz on my
tail tonight, man, I got it real good.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
How long you been here now?
Speaker 2 (09:27):
Oh there's good. About a year. I thought, if I
could get permission, might go out with a carnie this year.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
You know what.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
The front end got a letter from a friend that'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. They had diame to
win a piece of slum with maybe a couple of
cents its carnie.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
I might go with. It's got no grift in the
front end, all percentage games.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
Way.
Speaker 2 (09:48):
I figured you go out with a good one. Weather
old's gonna do all right.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
You figure you can come out better than you do here.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
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
the weather good bound to come out better.
Speaker 1 (10:02):
You'll check into those names for us when you, Slim.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Yeah, I'll make a couple of calls.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Can you make him now?
Speaker 2 (10:06):
No, I have to get in touch with the guy tonight.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
I'll get back to your first thing in the morning,
all right, for same number, Michigan five to one.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
That's right, buncle, few do all right, I'll give you
a call. Buy you guys cipt coffee.
Speaker 1 (10:16):
No thanks, Slim, We're just gonna want to come along
and buy you one.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Okay. Now hold on, I want to check with Harry.
I have him keep an eye on things.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
All right.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Here you go ahead, okay, now.
Speaker 3 (10:23):
Watch the counter. I came up too fast the other day.
I took all the skin off my back. Yeah, hold
on a minute, I'll be right back all right.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Nice sucking place, huh. Yeah, he's painted it since we
were down here last time. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
Well, let's go.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
Handed up the place, I slim.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Yeah, I thought I might turn a bigger tip of the place.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
Look good. You know, people like the clean up in
the place.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
How are the rest of the boots doing down here? Slim?
Speaker 2 (10:48):
You were pretty good and then told you it's great.
Other time.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
It's a little slow. U any grift down here?
Speaker 3 (10:53):
No, he said, If there is, I haven't heard of it.
Guy in the Santa Monic Police Department, Lieutenant Cunningham, he
keeps the place real clean.
Speaker 1 (10:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
The last thing I heard about was a guy who
was working with a camelback wheeling a 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 get plane pipe
looks CLEANSIMMI. Well, the frame rests on four pins. Pins
are supposed to be what anchors it to the counter.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Huh.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
Now, three of the pins go into one piece of
the counter. They really do hold the wheel in place.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
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 and 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.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Complete control of the wheel. All the time.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
It's a real nice deal, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
The way they figured it's perfect In case they get
a cowboy in the crowd. The mark and pick the
wheel right up out of the counter shows that there's
no wires running to it.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
The wheel's gaffed. There's no way to prove it.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
Set it up with a couple of sticks.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
In front, let them win a couple of times. You
got it made. It's the way they figure. It doesn't work.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Out though, And like on my wheel, I got one
hundred and twenty numbers on it. Figure I get good action.
I'm gonna have maybe half of them covered right off.
The odds are on my side. Part of the rest
is only one win. Half of them covered means a
gross is about six bucks. I give away five dollars
worth of grocery even with a winner. I come out
every time percentage.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Just prove it. But if that way you don't need
a gaff.
Speaker 1 (12:18):
Wheel, that's too bad. More of them don't figure it
like that.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Yeah, I suppose it took me a long time to
find it out.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Yeah, but you came up with the answers.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
I hope I knew the same for you.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
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, A lot
of difference now yeah, Now I sleep.
Speaker 1 (12:39):
Next two fifteen pm and continued to talk to our informant,
Slim Rams. He said that he didn't know the name
of the carnival the possible suspects had been fired from.
He said that he calls over 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
(13:00):
contacted Captain Didion and made arrangements for additional men to
be assigned to help us. Sergeants John Debetta and Danny
Gilmour 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 and known the pickpocket,
or even see a wire in operation, but the surveillance
netted us nothing. We made arrangements for the victim's bank
(13:21):
to be watched the following morning, six fifteen pm in fact,
and I got back to the squad rooms. Well, sure
he does a good business endent right on the market, Joe,
A lot of people going there. Yeah, what's the matter
with you? Well, I was just thinking. I guess 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. Sturn close. I
(13:41):
was talking with Lieutenant Jack Swan. He was telling me
a guy came in here from Nebraska, came in by bus.
You know, we sat in the station waiting for a
coach to take him up the north. Had all his
money in his shoe. In his shoe, yeah, had in
his left shoe, had the money all flasks. We could
walk on it. Figured it'd be safe there, but wasn't it. No,
throzed off for a minute, and next thing he knows,
shoes off, the money's gone. How would anybody know where
(14:03):
it was? I don't know the guy that took it.
Founded though, guy dozed off for a minute, loses his
shoe and all his money. Anything turn off on her?
No again? Oh oh confusitive Friday. Yeah yeah, slim What
was that name again?
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Uh huh? What do you say about it, they'll wait man, right, yeah,
here you go, yeah, pencil pencilton yeah, okay, thank you?
All right, Slim, go ahead. Whether they were a k
uh uh clay O l C see, isn't Charlie O
(14:44):
t T right? You know where they're staying, right, alright,
We'll give us a call if any more turns off.
Huh right, okay, Slim, thanks a lot, right bye, How
do you do? We're pretty good? Three names of the
guys who worked the Connie and kne Eh. Slim talked
to a friend, got the information that the guys who
work in the downtown area been scoring real good. Say
(15:05):
where we could find him? No, he's gonna try to
get the address for us. 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 planning it real careful. Yeah,
words out. They got two more big scores to make
and then they're gonna leave town.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
You are listening to drag Met the authentic story of
your police force in ections.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
The three names are informat that's given us. Were Howard Kremer,
Victor Wyden and Edward Olker. We had the names checked
through our record bureau, but we found that none of
the three men has been arrested in Los Angeles. We
got a radiogram off to the police department in Kansas City,
the last place the trio was known to have worked.
We asked them all information on the thieves befowarded to us.
We also set a teletype of George Bretton up in
(16:04):
the Sacramento CII, asking him to check the names for us.
The following morning, Wednesday, Mail eleventh, who got word from
Kansas City that the officials there were forwarding mug shots
and descriptions of the three man. During the day, Frank
and I met with Captain Dideon 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
(16:26):
the records and pictures of premer Lydon and Alcotte. The
pictures were handed over to the photo lab and they
started to reproduce them. The descriptions were sent to the
print shop and mo 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
(16:49):
Friday night, the banks closed and we'd gotten no report
that the thieves had worked. Local broadcasts were gotten out
on the men, but there were no replies. Monday, May sixteenth,
the plan was put into effect again. 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
(17:11):
get it. Uncle put it to Friday. Yes, sir, that's right.
Where right? No, don't do anything, let him know, right.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Let's go.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
I'm good. 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
(17:47):
under three minutes to get to the address. We checked
with the guard and he pointed out the suspect. Bright
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. In front
of him was an elderly man. 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,
(18:08):
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. As he walked through the crowds,
he was joined by Edward Alcott, the shover in the operation.
The elderly man entered a small tobacco store, and as
he went through the door, the wire Howard Kremer joined
(18:28):
the other two suspects. As the elderly man stood at
the counter waiting to be served, the shover walked over
to 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 it was coming, we were watching for it,
and yet and we missed the actual theft. The wire
moved in and removed the victim's money so fast that
(18:48):
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 officer,
you're under a provo. Stopped dreaming, you know the rod.
Now come on, all right, mister, come on, your friends,
(19:12):
get up, prompt me along. You're going to retract this.
Shoving a citizen around?
Speaker 2 (19:20):
No reason for this. How about the other two?
Speaker 1 (19:21):
They're out porryly, Let's get him downtown. How about the victim?
So he left when the beak started, Better try to
catch him. You're gonna be sorry for that, said you wait,
They're gonna be real sorry. Shoving a not a citizen around.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Yeah, that's a trouble with you punksy Well do you
mean here?
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Run on both counts. The three suspects were taken in
the custody in Broad Downtown. The victim's wallet was found
on the person of Edward Alca, who was identified by
the owner and booked his evidence three fifteen to him.
Speaker 2 (19:48):
We took the wire.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
Howard Kramer to the interrogation room, said, yeah, all right,
you want to give us a statement or what, come off,
But you know what we're talking about. You've got to
have me a cross with somebody else. I'm trying to
level with you. I don't know what they're talking about.
You want us to lay it out for you. I
don't care what's either way. You guys slam into a
(20:10):
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 book for being a pickpocket. That's the
way you want to tell it. Bring't any other words.
Your two friends tell it different?
Speaker 2 (20:19):
What two friends?
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Two fellas? We picked up with you. This is a
big time a lot of people. You walk into a store,
you don't ask who's standing next to you. They put
the whole day along you who lying in? Auntin never
heard them? How long do you figure you're gonna keep
this up, mister? As long as it take us to
get you on my side. They don't build days that
long affect your loss. I'm a nice fellow if you
take the time to get to know me. All right, Crammer,
this is way off the road. Now, maybe you've got
all day. We haven't. You can either give it to
(20:42):
us here and now we can drop you into a
cell and let you wait it out. You put me
in a tank and I'll be out in half an hour.
How many times you've been arrested? Who says there was
a first? How many times you've got the books? Look
it up?
Speaker 2 (20:52):
We asked you a question.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
So I'm not a genius. I got trouble with addition,
take everything out of your pockets? What come on? Or why?
Another funny time here? Kremmer. Then you're better ring the
bell because I'll need more of it. You got a job, Yeah,
I'm a president of a bank. You're going way out
on this, Crammer. I like the senior you work? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Where round?
Speaker 1 (21:08):
No special place? What do you do? I'm a sales
What do you sell? Whatever people can afford? All right? Now,
come on, put your things on the table right now.
You're gonna sign a receipt. Yeah, I gotta be taken
from me. You want to see what you're carrying. 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. Come on, get it up. Here's my wat, handkerchief, comb,
nail clippers, and change, a couple of ticket stuff from
(21:31):
a movie, a lowsy picture, cigarette, slider. That's it. You
got any money in that wallet? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Not much.
Speaker 1 (21:37):
I don't know. I don't pay much attention to how.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Much Trump carrying it.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
You can't even come close how much you've got? No,
take it out and con it? Okay, one, two, three,
all right? Comes off to thirty seven hundred dollars. You
must do real good at that. Sales of a job
company pays big commissions. And I put the money in
your pocket. Why don't you put it in you it?
Would you say? Look, cop, I've been around, I've been
(22:00):
with most of the carbis in the country one time
or another. I know the score. There ain't a place
in the world that the fixed camp 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 hundred bucks. But so what, you won't
miss it? Why not put the fix? Them will both
come on all right now? The fix just curdled Grimmer.
Why you said we had the record where you called him.
(22:21):
We got all the word about you way down the line.
You talk about how you worked with Carnies. How long?
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Huh?
Speaker 1 (22:25):
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 we near you and you come in here acting
like a big man. You do the indignant bit, and
then when that doesn't work, you try to buy your
way out. You've had it, mister, We know it, and
your two buddies know it. What are you going to
take a good look? You really figure you've got it made.
(22:47):
We know we have the other two guys really cough out.
The whole thing all comes down to how you engineered it.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
You buy what they say, we buy it.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Then there isn't much more for me to say, is
it not a great deal? No? Okay, let's go a statement.
Why make it easier on yourself?
Speaker 2 (23:02):
Easy?
Speaker 1 (23:02):
If I copa you know what I mean? Yeah? All right,
bring the girl in. I'll give you a statement. R Yeah,
you mind?
Speaker 2 (23:11):
If I had a smoke? What was that?
Speaker 1 (23:15):
I said?
Speaker 2 (23:15):
You mind?
Speaker 6 (23:16):
If I have a smoke, then I'll go ahead, wild one,
isn't it?
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Head it all down? So okay? Good shover better?
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Chuck ma. I'll sit in the front row with any
wire in the business. All that I don't add up
to a winner. That's like you said, huh, you get
trouble with addition.
Speaker 5 (23:49):
Howard 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
money is punishable by imprisonment in the state penitentiary for
a period.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Of not less than one nor more than ten years.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
Dragnet is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
Service stop
Speaker 1 (25:18):
At
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