Dragnet: The Big Flight

Dragnet. Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a robbery detail. Three hold up men have robbed and beaten two supermarket operators in your city.

You've got a good description of the thieves. Your job, get them. It was Tuesday, November 3rd. It was cold, Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of robbery detail. My partner's Frank Smith, the boss, the chief of detectives, Thad Brown.

My name's Friday. We got in a hot shot call about robbery, and it was 9.46 a.m. And we got to the corner of Lockwood and Barton Avenue. The Lockton Market. Officer, back there. Now. Friday and Smith, central robbery.

Oh, yeah. I'm Jackson, unit 3.87. You answered the call? Yeah. We got here a couple of minutes ago. Where's the victim? Backroom, Larry. It's pretty bad off. Ambulance attendance with him now. Mm-hmm. My partner's checking the neighborhood if there's nothing you need me for, I'll give my hand.

Yeah, make a two-level record for you, will you? Right. Thank you. Looks like there was quite a fight. Yeah, stuff all over the place. Come on. What do you got in that bottle? Sure, Stitch.

Hey, you gotta clean up these cuts. Let's try to hold still. Ow! I think it easy, huh? Okay, I got something you want? We're out of central robbery. Is this the victim? Yeah, a couple of cuts, nothing serious.

Tell him about Andy. He's the one who really got it. Who's Andy? Yeah, the clerk. Pretty rough. Looks like it might be a fracture. He's in the truck now. Let me get this tape on you now, huh?

Oh. That should do it. Might be a good idea if you saw your doctor. Yeah, what about Andy? I was going to take him down to George Street receiving. You're going to call me and let me know about him?

That might be better if you called him. Yeah, okay. I see you guys, huh? Yeah, right. Yeah, sure. One guy really clouded me. You heard? Mm-hmm. What if you left me telling us what happened here?

Three of them. Three came in and held up the place clouded me and Andy. Sure hope he's going to be all right. What's your name, sir? Cliff Hall. You own the store to you? No, me and Andy run it, though.

We'd like to buy it. What time these men come in? Must have been around 9.30, running there. Did you give the officers an answer to the call of description of the men? Yeah, it was the first thing they asked me.

Go ahead, please. I was getting the money ready for the bank deposit, and he was back here stacking Bible cases. These three guys came in first off. I thought they were customers. Couple of them walked the back of the place.

I thought they were picking out stuff. The other one kind of stood around by the cash register where I was. Go ahead. Go ahead. Well, after he was there for a minute, and I see the other two aren't picking up.

Nothing. I ask him if they were something I could get for him. That's when he pulled out a gun. What about the other two? Oh, work like they had some kind of signal. Soon as the one in front pulled his gun, the other two did too.

It allowed me to put all the money in a paper bag. Got the bag from up in front there. Took it right out of the stack and hinted to tell me. Said for me to put the dough in it.

You recall his exact words? What? The way he said it. The words he used. You recall him? Let me say I think it was... put all the dough in this bag don't say anything just do as I say that was the way he said what you do that like he said you know that gun pointed right at me I

could see the other two guys I wasn't gonna do anything but what he told me I put the money in the bag mm-hmm I thought they'd leave the place but that's when Andy came out I guess he wondered what the other two were after you see from where he was he couldn't see the guns well he walked out to him ask if there's anything

specially we're looking for what happened then then he saw what was happening saw the guns and he tried to throw the guys out I don't know why he dead. It ain't he's like that. He gets an idea in his head and there isn't anything it'll shake it loose. He tied into those two guys, almost had him whipped too, even

with the guns. The guy that was with me saw what was going on, yell back at him, told him not to shoot. He ran back and laid his gun alongside Andy's head. He whole clotted him right along in here. Andy dropped like a sack of potatoes and the three guys ran out of the store. How much money do they get, you know? I

hadn't finished up with a bank statement yet. I'd just be guessing but I'd say about $8,000. Might run to $8.5, but that's about it. I think you just give us a description of the man.

All three of them? If you could, you know. The one who was with me must have been about 5'11". Kind of dark, complex, it had straight black hair. What color was that? Brown. Yeah, any marks or scars you could see?

No. Clean shaven? Yeah, I had a real dark beard. Look kind of like he had some kind of talcum powder on. You remember how he was dressed? Let's see. A dark, blue suit. Great top coat, great hat.

Was he wearing a tie, you know? Yeah, a great tie with maroon stripes. You know kind of diagonal, a thin tie. Anything unusual about him? Make it easier for us to identify him. No, I don't think so.

How about the gun he was carrying? What kind was it? I couldn't see the name. No, so I mean was it automatic or revolver? Oh, an automatic. Look like a big caliber, I'd say 45.

One of the other fellas had a revolver, but the guy with me and the small one had automatic. You know if they drove a car? What if they did? I didn't see it. Might have had it parked right out in front for all I know. I told you I was busy when they came in.

When they left, I was too worried about anti-depainty attention to them. to him. Why are they hitting a terrible thing right along here? Oh, excuse me, man. I got some aspirin here in the car. Yes, sir. Your hope Andy's gonna be all right. We've been together a long time. Can't get all that little guy, the one who hit me. I should have taken him.

But the big one is tough looking a real fighter. Well, he's gonna help much. Huh? He's gonna lose this one. We got the descriptions of the other two men and the supplementary local broadcasters gotten out. The two officers who'd answered the call found a woman in the neighborhood who'd seen three men leave the vicinity immediately after the robbery. She said that she was parked

in a car half a block from the store on the same side of the street. She explained that about 9.20 a.m. a car pulled into a parking place in front of her. She'd seen three men leave the car and walk down the sidewalk in the direction of the locked-in market. About ten minutes later the men came back to the car. They appeared to be in a hurry. One of

the men was upset and arguing with the other two. She told the officers that they'd gotten into the car and driven off toward Hollywood Boulevard. We asked her to describe the three The description she gave us matched the one we'd gotten of the thieves.

She gave us a description of the car, and another supplementary broadcast was put out. We asked her to come down to the city hall to go through the mug books to see if she could give us a positive identification.

A report from the Georgia Street Receiving Hospital indicated that the victim of the slugging, Andrew Rich, was suffering from a fractured jaw and a concussion. He was given emergency treatment and removed to the County Hospital.

The crime lab crew came out and went over the store for physical evidence. They were able to lift three partial fingerprints from the collar next to the cash register. Dean Bergman and Leighton Prince explained that the partials were not enough for identification, but that if we apprehended the holdup men, he'd be able to tell us if they'd left the impressions.

10.27 a.m. We took the victim Clifford Hall and the woman who'd seen the car to the mug room. They went through the mug book that they were unable to come up with an identification. We had the staff's office make a run on the MO. They came back with a list of 17 names of men who at one time or another

or another had used the same method of operation. The list was split, and Sergeant's mead and Lightner worked with us in checking the names out. Thursday, 3.48 PM. Frank and I got to the sixth name on our list.

Jerry Evans, can that right? Yeah. Sure dark in this, Holly. I want to watch the windows let some light in. Yeah, here we are. Light out, be in. Then we'll try it again. Now let's talk to the manager.

Yeah. Now, where is it? Manager, we want to see him in it. Mr. Man, what do you want? I just sleep. Come on, have us an open up. Yeah, we can get out. Hey, please, officer.

Come on, come on, watch the job. All right. Have us an get up. What are you doing, I'm playing? Look, you got no right to come busting in here like this. Hey, you're so clean.

What are you putting that trouble for? It's scared. That's all I just got scared. All right, you feel somebody walk you up and then shove us away into your room. You ain't going to stand around and just let them do it.

Hey, playing job. I told you that. I got no trouble. I don't want none. You check with Galloway, he'll tell you. I'm home every night at nine o'clock every night. Well, where were you this morning?

Huh? This morning, where were you? What time? You just tell us what you did, starting when he got up. Well, it was up all night. I got a virus or something. I couldn't sleep. Take a look there in the dresser.

You can see the stuff I've been taking. I haven't been out of this room, not for a couple of days. Can you prove that? Why? Can you? No, I wasn't anybody here. You got any phone calls?

No. I don't know what this is all about. You guys are leaning on me for nothing. Now, you talk to Galloway. I'll tell you, I've been working. Look here, I'll show you. How you going?

I just want to show you something. I got an address. Well, you stay right there. I'll get it for you. Okay, I got an ID. Take a look at the top drawer there, left hand side.

Yeah. Please, what you mean? Yeah, that's it. I'll take the rubber band off and look, you'll see them tell me the truth. Hey, you see? It's all the check receipts I got them from where I worked.

You look at them. I'm working every day and I'm home at night. Oh, nine o'clock every night. How about it, Joe? Yeah. Hey, you see? You having out of this room all day, huh? Not a minute.

Come on, what's all this about anyway? What are you guys after? I figured maybe you could tell us. Yeah? I'm sorry, without you telling me what you want, there's nothing I can give you. You see any of the boys anymore?

I mean, the fellows I know before I fell. That's right. Not if I can help but I'm trying to stay away from. See any of them lately? Yeah. Saw Alex a couple days ago. Alex?

Yeah. Alex Finley. I knew him when I was up in QE. Came in where I was working. Did you talk to him at all? I just said hello. Past couple of minutes talking about some of the guys we know.

See in the rackets now? I don't know. Is John for all? Yeah, I think so. Did he give you anything? Oh, a couple of rumbles, but if I turn them over to you, I don't want a credit for them.

You don't know where you got them. All right. Alex tells me there's a gang that's going to start working here in town, market jobs. How many men? From what Alex says is four, all heavy guys.

Family with him? No, I don't think so. He's told it to me that he just heard it. Do you say anything about who the four men are? No, I don't think you know he just said they were heavy and they were starting to work.

You know where he can get in touch with Alex? No, well you might check with Galloway at the parole office. He might have. Yeah, we will probably see him again I'll try to get the information if I can Well, what is it? What does you want to know who the guys are? That's right. Okay. Now like I told you though

I don't want any credit for it I'm in real trouble if it gets around that I'm playing footsie with you. Yeah sure I'll try to find out when they're gonna start working too. Why don't you worry about that? Huh? We already know that We got in touch with Fed Galloway at the state adult parole offices and we checked on Jerry Evanston.

From what the record showed, the story Evanston had told us was true. His parole officer had reported him working and apparently living up to the conditions of his release. We left him one of our cards and asked him to call us and the event he heard from Alex Finley.

421 PM. We checked back into the office and we met with Sergeant's Meade and Leitner. They told us that they checked out the names on their half of the list without result. We sent a teletype up to George Brett and CII Sacramento, giving him the description of the hold-up men and listing the ammo that they've used.

We asked him to run the information through their files and forward any information they came up with. 519 PM. We went out to get something to eat and then we checked back into the office.

Good dinner, huh, Joe? Yeah, I just saw a guy get eat so many enchiladas as you. Yeah, I can't help it. Get started on him, can't seem to stop. Yeah. You got any soda in your locker?

No, you got trouble again. You know I always do and we have enchiladas. a lot of you remember that when you order a half a dozen. I suppose so. I get it. Robert Friday, yep.

When was that? They're pretty sure, are they? They had a lab been called yet? Yep. OK. Right, thanks. Lots of break. They just found the getaway car. 647pm, we left the office and drove out to where the car had been found.

Was parked on Lockwood Avenue, five blocks from the market that had been robbed. The radio car officers had spotted that it had called the office immediately when they saw a brown paper bag in the back seat bearing the printed name, locked in the market.

A crew from White and Prince came out and went over the car. They were able to come up with a single print from a man's index finger. Bergman compared it with a partial spot at the market. They matched.

We checked the white slip in the car and found the vehicle was stolen. The report on it had been filed at 10.37 a.m. that morning. We talked with the people and we needed vicinity but none of them were able to tell us anything about the people who'd parked the car.

However, we did come up with an elderly man who told us that he'd seen three men get into another car at about 9.45 that morning. He said that he remembered it because the driver of the car pulled into a parking space and stopped the motor.

Another automobile that parked directly in front of the car and the driver of the first machine had moved so that there was no one in front of him. The man went on to say that a few minutes after the driver pulled into the second parking place, three men had come around the corner, gotten into the car and the four of them had

driven off. The witness was unable to give us a description of the car that was a late model Plymouth or The only description he could give us of the men was that one of them was large and was wearing a gray top coat and a half And that one of them was small

8.40 pm. Frank and I went back to the office and checked out for the night. The following morning at 8.02 am I checked back in for work Hi Joe. Morning kind of cold out. Yeah, you look happy this morning. I didn't sleep a wink last night Joe not a wink What's the matter?

Next time I even think about eating that gelata stop me will you Joe? Yeah sure. Any mail coming? I don't know I just got in. There's an ad here from that store over on West 6th they have an annual sale.

Yeah? I want to try to get over there like to get me a new suit for Christmas. Yeah there's a special delivery from Bracken. Huh? Probably those mugs we ask when I'll see. Yeah for 6 of them.

You want to get in touch with Cliff Hall? We'll drive over and have him take a look at him. Yeah? You got any other pictures? Yeah we can mix them up. I'll call Hall. I sure hope we got an idea and we haven't got much to go on.

I've got to be a break someplace. We're going to find it. From what Finley said about the gang starting up operation doesn't sound like just one job. You know, you start on a strain, they can do a lot of damage.

It doesn't give as much choice does it? No. We got to get to him. 8.27 a.m. Frank and I left the office and drove over to talk to the victim Cliff Hall. We showed him the mug shots George Breton had sent us.

He picked one out and said that he was positive that the man in the picture was the one who held him up. The name on the mugshot was Harold Bishop. According to the record, Bracken had sent us. Bishop had been convicted twice on violation of 211 PC armed robbery.

9.20am. We drove over to the Cottie Hospital and showed the pictures to the other victim Andrew Rich. He picked the mugshot of Bishop as a suspect who'd robbed and beaten him. The notation on Bishop's picture gave us the information that he was on parole at the time.

We returned to the office and put in a call to Fred Galloway at the state adult parole office. Yeah, Fred, this is Joe Friday. Mm-hmm. Yeah, fine. We'd like some information on the Herald Bishop.

San Francisco number 82609. 26, that's right. Male white Caucasian. We got a mug from Braden. No, he said it's on parole. Yeah, if you will. Thanks a lot. You're checking the master file now. Me, you're the lightener standing by if we need him.

And we get this address. We're gonna have to move fast. Yeah. Yeah, Brad. What was that? Well, Ozzie's report there. I see. No, I don't know. Yeah, I suppose. Right, Fred. Thank you. Well, you can tell me, you can enlighten her to relax.

Bishop's got an out-of-state parole. He's living over in Phoenix. Well, he still could be getting into California. No, not likely. Huh? Fred checked with his parole officer. Yeah? He's got a job and he's been reporting to his parole officer every month.

We asked Fred Galloway at the state parole office to contact Bishop's parole officer in Phoenix and check him closely. The report came back that the suspect had a job with a small contractor and that he'd been working regularly.

He'd also been giving monthly reports to his office. We'd had a suspect identified by two of his victims and yet if the information we'd gotten was correct, it would have been a physical impossibility for him to have committed the robbery.

We got a copy of his jacket and looked over his past records. We found that the Bishop had been arrested for armed robbery the first time 18 years previously. He'd been brought to trial and acquitted.

The next arrest was ten months after his trial, who had been convicted and served six years at San Quentin. He had been released and within six months Bishop had been picked up again. This time he was sent to Folsom Penitentiary.

While he was there he appeared to be a model prisoner, and after serving four and a half years he had been placed on parole. After leaving the prison he had requested and he had been granted an out of state leave.

In checking Bishop's M.O. we found that it masked exactly that of the thieves who had held up the locked in market. The time of approach was the same the number of menus was the same the method of leaving the scene was exact We had a suspect and yet he couldn't have committed the crime

Three weeks passed on Saturday November 26 the thieves hit again in checking with the victims. They identified the mugshot of Bishop We put in a long distance called of the Phoenix Police Department last them to check on the suspect We got word back that he was in their city They told us that he wasn't at work due to a virus infection

They went on to say that they'd check with his lady and that she told him that Bishop hadn't left his apartment at all on the day of the theft Monday November 28th. We got our first break in the case I'll get it. Robby Smith. Yeah. Oh, yeah, Jerry. Uh-huh You sure about that?

Where? How about the rest of them? Yeah, just a minute. Toss me that pad with you. Don't you go? Okay, Jerry. Go ahead. Yeah. How do you spell it? L-A-L-E-A-H-Y? Uh-huh, I got it. Mm-hmm.

You know the address? Okay, thanks Jerry. We'll get in touch with you. Right. Jerry Evanston, remember the guy we talked to over in South 7? Yeah. On the way, he tells that we aren't too far off. How do you mean?

He saw Bishop in town last Saturday. We put in a call and we found that there were two major airlines with flights to Phoenix. The flight time they enlisted was one hour and thirty-five minutes by air.

If Bishop caught the last flight leaving Phoenix, he could arrive in Los Angeles at 11.20 PM the night before he planned to commit a robbery. The next day after the hold-up, he could catch a plane from the Los Angeles International Airport that would have him back in Phoenix at 8.25 PM.

By doing this, he would be absent from his work only one day, and he could schedule his flight so as not to hit on the days when he had an interview with his parole officer.

Tuesday, November 29th, a meeting was held in Chief Thad Brown's office. It was decided to put a special stake out on the airport and wait for the suspect to come into town. At that time he'd be followed and taken into custody as he prepared to commit another robbery.

The names of the three other men Jerry Evanston had given Frank as having been involved in the hold-ups had been checked through R&I. All three of them had arrest records. Surveillance was replaced on their homes and they were kept under constant watch.

Monday December 12th, on up at 15 p.m. Frank and I relieved the stake out at the airport. There's a batch over there. We can keep all the gates in jail. Wonder when he's gonna hit again.

I don't know. The last couple of weeks is sure dragged by him. Yeah. Anything on the other three guys? Well, I talked to Pinky me this morning. He and Lightning are staked out at Lay's apartment.

How they doing? Nothing. The parking car down the street. What they say, Lay's like a clock. He comes in at 5 AM, leaves at 9 PM every day. You got a cigarette? Yeah. Here you go.

Joe? Yeah. Bishop. Let's let him get outside. Yeah. Or if he's got any luggage. I'm gonna bring it up outside. We can make fun there. Right, come on. Did you see him? Yeah, there he is.

Getting into that cab. Come on. Frank and I got in our car and followed the cab taken by the suspect. We followed him out of the airport grounds and then up La Brea Avenue. The cab turned right on Washington Boulevard and headed for downtown Los Angeles.

We pulled up to a stoplight. Still got him? Yeah, he's still up ahead in front of that blue mercury. You see him? Yeah. You got the number of the cab? Mm-hmm. Two nine seven four.

There's the light. Rhymus go. Better try to pick it up a little, Frank. the cap pull away from us. Yeah. You think he'd seen us? No. And she closed in a little? Traffic's too heavy.

Use the siren, we'll check it. Yeah. Did you go see him? Yeah. There's a brake. Guy had to make it a right turn. Now we're right behind the cap. Yeah. I'll close in now. Good.

Watch it, Frank. That guy pulling out of the alley. Hold on. As we drove down the street after the stoplight had changed, the car had failed to make a bull of hard stop coming out of an alley, and we'd hit it broadside.

The damage done to both cars was considerable. and we lost our suspect frank got to a phone call the office he gave them the number of the cap that this is in an s for traffic investigation car the office got a search for the missing suspect lieutenant jack smyer told us to proceed to the apartment of tom lee you

wait for further development in the meantime a city wide broadcast went out carrying the description of the ship and the other three men involved in the theft frank and i arrived at the apartment we really need enlightenment we have the manager the place let us in the ladies room 1.30 a.m., 2.30.

4 o'clock, 5.30 a.m. Frank and I had been on duty for over 21 hours. At 5.45, the phone in the apartment rang once, and then it quit. That was the arranged signal between us and the office.

Frank put in the call. Lieutenant Smirn has told us that officers Max Herman and Ed Benson were on the way out to relive us. 15 minutes later, we heard somebody in the hall. Yeah? Probably Benson and Herman.

Yeah. I get it. Watch it, Joe. Come on up, man. You all right, Joe? Yeah, come on. He's going upstairs. Sam. You want to take that side? Right. You watch it. Behind the elevator, Chef Joe.

Yeah, I see him. You're in trouble, Bishop. Don't build any more for yourself. I got nothing to lose. They held me again. I'll be up at the joint for life. Don't go up in the morning.

Shouldn't you? There's no way off this roof, Bishop. Throw that gun out here. And you follow it. You're out of your mind, cop. Give it up, Bishop. Come on. Throw that gun out. I'm going out, cop.

Just right at top of your head off. You all right, Joe? Yeah. How is he? I'm about to call an ambulance. Yeah, what's that for out of his pocket? Wait a minute. Something you'll never use.

Yeah? Airplane ticket to Phoenix. MUSIC Albert Martin Kruger, Harold Nelson Bishop, Thomas Nagle Lehi, and Charles Everett Lee were taken into custody and brought the trial for two counts of robbery in the first degree.

They were convicted and received sentence as prescribed by law. Robbery in the first degree is punishable by imprisonment in the state penitentiary for a period of not less than five years. Because of his previous record, Thomas Nagelle-Leihi was given the maximum sentence and is now serving life imprisonment in the state penitentiary, Folsom, California.

Gragnet is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces radio service.