 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you're about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Gragman. The Bunko Fugitive Detail. A confidence man has set up operations in your city. The product he's selling has a ready market. Perfect cut, blue-white diamonds. Your job? It was Tuesday, November 9th. It was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of Bunko Fugitive Detail. My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Didion. My name's Friday. I was on my way back from the record division. It was 11.40 AM when I got to room 38. Bunko Detail. Did it check on? Yeah, there's three possibles. Descriptions don't match too well. We'll have to check them all out, I guess. The battle with Justin said he'd give us a hand. That's good. Shall we get on it? Yeah. Any calls? No. Let's go. I got it. Bunko Fugitive Friday. Yeah. Yes, ma'am. Hmm? Well, I'm not sure. No, the officer that handled the case isn't here right now. I wonder if I could take a message. Yes, ma'am. He'll call you when he gets in. All right, uh-huh. Yes, all right. If you'll wait just a minute, I'll transfer it just a minute. Hold on, please. Would you give this call to 2949, please? Thank you. Oh, excuse me. Yes, sir. This is the proud department. Was Bunko Fugitive? Yes, sir. Then I guess you should, but I want. I'd like to report a swindle. All right, sir. I'll check with the batted, Joe. You can go to work on this list. Right. I'll be right back. OK. You want to come in, sir? Sit down right here if you like. OK? Well, where'd be the best place to start? Would you like to give us your name, sir? Terrell Tillson. That's with an F, F-I-L-S-O-N Tillson. Yes, sir. What I want to tell you about happened to a friend of mine. All right. He's a little too embarrassed to come in himself, so I said I'd tell you about it. A terrible thing. Should be stopped. All right, sir. We'll do what we can. You want to tell us what it's all about? Well, this friend of mine is in the bank one day. He'd gone in to make withdrawal, a couple of hundred dollars. I see. On the way out of the place, this kind of seedy-looking man came up to my friend and started to talk. Your friend know the man? Never saw him before in his life. All right, sir. Go ahead. And this little guy said he had a business proposition to put to my friend. Said they could both make a lot of money out of it. Uh-huh. Little guy suggested that the both of them walk down the street to a little coffee stand that's there and have a cup of coffee. My friend didn't see anything wrong with that, so they did. That's where the little guy told the story. What was that, sir? Oh, about how he was a DP, you know, a displaced person. Uh-huh. Said he'd come over from Belgium. That's a big story about how he just managed to get out of Germany with his life. Really laid it on thick, real thick. Uh-huh. That's when he pulled the snapper. Said that he'd gotten into the country illegally. He didn't have any paper, and that's why he came to my friend. I see. Go ahead. And you see, this little guy reached into his pocket, took out a couple of pieces of folded paper. He undid him, and there were four diamonds. Most beautiful thing you ever saw. Uh-huh. I went on to say that since he was in the country without a passport, he couldn't take the chance of trying to sell the diamonds that he might be picked up. So he wanted to sell the stones to my friend. Said he wouldn't have any trouble getting rid of them. Alarmist did he want for them, do you know? Said he'd sell a lot for $13,000. That's quite a bit, isn't it? Yeah, especially when his friend of mine doesn't know anything about diamonds. All right, sir, do you want to go ahead? Well, the little guy said my friend to take the stones to any jeweler and have them appraise. Said he'd go along with whatever the jeweler said. And that's what your friend did then? Yeah, went to one of the best jeweler stores in the city, took the stones with him, and had the jeweler look at him. Now, this little man, did he go into the store with your friend? No, he said he'd wait outside. The jeweler looked at the stones and said that we were at $15,000. That's wholesale, $15,000. So your friend bought the diamonds, did he? Yes. He offered the owner $10,000 cash for them. The little guy wouldn't go for the deal, so he took the diamonds back. They hemmed and hauled around for a couple of minutes, and then he said he'd sell. So both of them went to my friend's bank, got the money, and the deal was set. The little man reached into his pocket, took out the package, handed over the diamonds for the $10,000. Then my friend tried to sell them. He went back for the same jeweler. And that's when he found out they weren't the same stones. My friend had gotten a different packet. Instead of diamonds, he bought four zircons, worth $25, $30 a piece, $10,000 for $120 worth of cut glass. Now, you've got to do something about it. You've got to figure some way to get that money back. You want to give us a description of the man who sold you the phone? How'd you know? Now, you aren't the only one who's been taken by this racket. There have been several cases the last few months. That's all the more reason you ought to get him. $10,000, that's what he took me for. That's really easy money. Well, the only difference is the amount, isn't it? What do you mean? You tried to take five the same way. Frank came back to the office, and I filled him in on the story Harold Filson had given me. The victim gave us a complete statement and a description of the man who victimized him. He also gave us the address of the bank where he'd been approached. After that, Filson was taken down to the mudroom and shown photographs of known confidence men who had used the same MO. A local and an APB were gotten out, carrying the description of the suspect as well as a complete description of the clothes he wore and the method he used in approaching the intended victim. We got the name of the jewer who would appraise the diamonds and we asked the victim if we could keep the stones until we'd finished our investigation. He gave us his consent and we signed a receipt for the Zircons. 1.46 p.m. Frank and I drove out to the Hollywood area where we talked to Saul Maurice, the owner of the jewelry store. All right, if you'll wait, I'll get my loot and check them for you. We'd appreciate that. No trouble. Probably should have known there was something wrong and it came in here. Average man doesn't carry $15,000 and upset diamonds around with him. Let me see the stone. Sure, here you are. Take a look at these, if you will. Mm-hmm. All the same ones, same as diamonds. What can you tell us about them? Well, they look as if they were cutting this country. Yeah? Why do you say that? Facets, they're cut longer than European stones. Oh. Mm-hmm. Now, they were made in America. Is there any way we could tell where? No. Whoever did it, though, knew what he was doing. I remember the diamonds. Beautiful. I mean, the real diamonds were just like these, then, huh? Yes, there was a 125 round, two 1-carat marquee and a 403 square cut. You sure about the size, are you? No, reasonably, yes. I didn't weigh them at the time, but it used a mow gauge on them. That's what they checked out. They can't give us any idea where the zircons might have come from. No, I'm sorry. I can give you a list of the men in Los Angeles who might have done it. We'd appreciate it. No trouble at all. Now, you want to take these with you? Yes, sir. Say, I don't understand. Why would a legitimate diamond cutter make these imitations? Well, if a person ordered them copied, there'd be no reason not to. Quite often, people don't like to wear genuine stones. Occasions, when good imitations do just as well, that's what probably happened here. Uh-huh. Whatever it was, probably ordered them a large lot. The cutter went ahead with it. Well, now the stones he brought in the first time were real, weren't they? Yes, fine, high-color, beautifully cut. Especially this square. I'll get those names for you. Thank you. Say, I wonder if you'd tell me something. Well, what's that? Well, my wife's been looking for something to clean her engagement ring. You know, it gets dirty down the little prongs and hold the diamond. I wonder if you could recommend something to clean it. Well, I'll tell you what. Next time you're in the area, bring the ring in. I'll be glad to clean it for you. I don't have a problem there if she doesn't want to take it off, I guess. I don't think she'd go for me taking it all day. Well, I'll tell her to take it into the jeweler in the neighborhood. He'll be glad to do it. Thanks, sir. Appreciate it. No trouble at all. Here's the list. Thank you. I sure hope you can find the man who sold the phonies. Yes, sir. So do we. Every time somebody gets stung, buying diamonds that makes them leery from then on. Hard and legitimate people in the business. Yes, sir. We can understand that. Jeweler's alliance has been saying it for a long time. Know you're jeweler and you'll get value received. A guy like this makes it twice as rough on honest men. Now, that's the way it is most of the time. It always seems like the honest ones get hurt. Now, maybe not always. What? I hope it's going to work the other way this time. 315 PM. Frank and I return to the office and got out a supplemental bulletin on the genuine diamonds that were being used. We checked with Captain Didion, and he assigned two more officers to help us in checking out the list of diamond cutters in the area. The questioning took the better part of the next day. And at 437 PM, when we met in the Bunko Squad Room, we were no further ahead with the apprehension of the suspect. During the week that followed, we continued to talk to the lapidaries in the Southland area, but they were unable to give us any leads as to who might have made the copies. On Monday, November 22nd, we received another complaint. An elderly woman who identified herself as Mrs. Myra Hacken told us that she'd been swindled out of $12,000. The story she gave us was almost identical with the one we'd gotten from Harold Filson. The description of the suspect was the same. Frank and I talked to the jeweler that it made the appraisal on the stones for her. He was unable to give us any concrete information. However, the Zircons purchased by Mrs. Hacken were identical with those bought by the first victim, Filson. Two more weeks passed, and in that time, the confidence man hit two more citizens. The method of approach was the same. The story he gave the victims was the same. Nothing in the story was new. The search for him went on. On Wednesday, December 1st, Captain Dittian called a meeting in his office. Sit down. Right. Thanks. Now, what's it about, Skipper? You know what it is. Where are you on it? I'm on the diamond switch, huh? That's it. Going slow, Captain. I want the score to date, about $45,000, isn't it? Yeah. You know closer to the guy than when he started? Well, we've got a description. We can't book that. We're doing everything we can, Captain. We talked to all the victims, all the people in town who might know who he is. There isn't a rumble. He must be playing it single. None of the usual sources know anything. How about the money? Anybody spending more than they can account for? No, not that we've been able to turn. Staff's office? Only given us a list of possible 14 of them. They've all been checked out, none un-fit. What about the Jewelers Association? What have they got for you? Well, they're doing all they can. They put out a notice to all their members to be on the lookout for the guy, sent out a description to all the diamond cutters, and put out a notification on the stone. We've had a composite drawing made of the suspect, ammo sheet, and sent to all the banks in the area. Nothing back on it, though. Well, what's the answer? There gotta be some way of nailing it. Well, we got an idea. The odds are on the long side, I guess, but it's about the only way that we can think of. Let's hear it. Well, we know that the guy's working in the Hollywood area pretty heavy. Seems that most of the Marxie picks are out there. They do business in those banks along the Boulevard. We thought that if we could spot a couple of undercover people in the banks and make it look like they were doing business there, they might be approached. And you said the odds were long. How many people do you figure go need for this? Well, we figure a minimum of half a dozen. They all should be middle-aged or elderly. Suspect doesn't seem to bother anybody under 40. How about keeping in touch with the undercover people? How do you figure to work that? Well, we thought we could cruise the area, work out some kind of a check system so we'd know what was going on. Mm-hmm. Okay, I'll get in touch with Chief Brown. Ask him to line up some offices that'll work the banks. You better get in touch with Hollywood. Fill them in on what you're doing. Might ask for a couple of F-cars that give you a hand in the surveillance. Right, Skipper? We'll get together here in the morning. You can brief them on what you want. I'm going to work it out. Okay. Better notify the banks, too. Give them the set up so there won't be any slack. All right. Excuse me. Bunker or fugitive, Captain Didion? Yeah? Mm-hmm. Okay, we'll send them right up. That's right. Do what you can. Here's one to move on. Bank on Hollywood Boulevard. Head cashier says there's been a man watering in the place for the last 30 minutes, you know? That's just a description of your suspect right down the line. The man had been detained until we got there. We were told that the suspect had entered the bank at approximately 11.40 a.m. and that he'd been observed by the bank guard. When the man's movements had aroused the guard's suspicions, he'd notified the cashier and he, in turn, had called us when he noticed the similarity between the suspect and our bulletin. We asked the suspect to step out to our car so we could question him. He appeared to have been drinking, but he was cooperative. He got into the back seat with Frank and we asked him to show us his wallet. Hey, uh, my wallet. Is there any money in it? Well, I don't know. Is that any of your business? You got any money in the wallet? Well, it might be a couple of bucks, yes. Then again, on the other side of the fence, I might not. All right, Mr. Take the money out and hand the wallet to me. Ain't none. I'm broke. All right, let's have it. Sure, I'd like to cooperate. Always like to cooperate. Is your true name Samuel Gerald Pugh? That is correct. Ever been arrested? That gentleman is my life story, all right. It certainly is. Many of the happy hour I've spent in your main jail. Delightful place. Referred to in the parade as the gray bar hotel, you know. You know, what was the chart? I believe that's referred to in the parade as a 4127-ALAMC trucker. Oh, now, if you don't mind, officer, you wouldn't put it just that way. It sounds so completely undignified. Completely. What were you doing in that bank? Then I spent a short vacation with the sheriff out in Casteca. That was a charming resort. Look, what were you doing in the bank? Then I spent a short vacation with the sheriff out in Casteca. That's a charming resort. Why were you in the bank? I've also enjoyed the hospitality of the authorities in San Francisco, Oakland, and in Beaumont. Look, we're not playing a game with you here. You come up with some straight answers and come up with them fast. Sir? Yeah? Well, I'm trying to the best of my ability to answer your questions in the order that you present. And now I'm still working on the initial one, you understand? Would you like to know why I've spent so much time? Look, you know what we want to know. We want to know why you're in that bank. Very well, and I shall tell you, I have spent all of this time in gathering material for retreatists on the penal colonies in the bank. All right, all right, let's go. Yeah. Come on, mister. Get on your feet. Oh, here now. Listen, I resent this feat, what many. And furthermore, I intend to expose your methods in my forthcoming book. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Realize, officer, that I've given you fair warning. You're going to book me again? That's right. Don't. We'll figure that when we get you downtown. Well, that's all you've got. I didn't really do it. You can't book a man to just think about it, all right? I didn't really do it. I'll just think about it. What are you talking about? What I was doing in the bank. I'm broken. I'm hungry. I just got into town this morning. I arrived in the sunshine of glorious California. Broken, hungry. So I hammered around a bit and went into the bank. And made me hide by a little check. Just enough to tie me over. I decided to accept one of the many offers that have been offered me. You got any money in the bank? Oh, that's a trivial detail. However, in as much as you gentlemen are willing to accord me the hospitality of a gray bar hotel, I shall accept with a lack of anything. That's all right. I'm glad to find that you appreciate my position. You got any way of proving you just got in town? Is that necessary? Might be for you. I shall have no trouble in supplying such gratification. Yeah. I have been enjoying the hospitality of the largest state for the past three months. I severed my connection with them two days. Is that right? It certainly is. I, officer, have been in jail for the past three months. Yeah. In full months. The suspect was taken to the city hall and held for further investigation. Teletypes were sent to the authorities in Texas and may verify the story that we'd gotten. The suspect was booked in violation of 4127A LAMC. The following morning, Frank and I, along with Captain Didion, briefed the police officers chosen by Chief Brown. We told them the suspect's MO. We gave each of them copies of the composite drawing that had been made. At 10.30 that morning, the plan was put into operation. We continued through the weekend without results. During that time, we received no new complaints regarding the confidence, Mayor. Wednesday, December 8th. Frank and I checked into the office. Come on, call Faye. Tell her what time I'll be home. OK. You want to check the book while you're there? Yeah. I got it. Local Fugitive Friday. Yeah. OK, where? Yeah, we know where that is. Right. See you there. There's your left call, Faye, later. What do you mean? Suspect. Yeah? He's setting up a mark in a coffee shop out on Hollywood Boulevard right now. We're listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action. The undercover people that we planted in the banks on Hollywood Boulevard, the police woman told me that a man answering the description that approached her and offered to sell her some unset diamonds. The suspect suggested that they have a cup of coffee while he explained the deal to the victim. After they'd reached the coffee shop, the police woman excused herself and put in the call to us. It took us 18 minutes to drive to Hollywood and Vine streets and to get to the coffee shop. When we entered the place, we could see the police woman at one of the rear tables. Frank and I walked back and sat down in the adjoining booth. They'd evidently been talking for several minutes before we got there. You can understand my position. I don't want to have to let them go, but I have no choice. I'm still not sure why you don't tell them yourself. There is some trouble about my passport of the authorities on checking it over. If I try to dispose of the diamonds and the usual diamonds, there are bound to be questions, questions I can't ask. I'm not sure I want to be mixed up in things like this. I've never had any trouble with the law. My husband would be pretty angry if he knew about this. But there will be no trouble. None. The reason I decided to even follow you with this is that I have seen you several times in the bank. You look to me like a person who would understand and want to help. That's very kind. It is you who are being kind to even let me talk to you. I wish I could tell you how much it means to me to be able to walk up to just anyone on this straightened talk, to know that there is nothing to be afraid of. This business about the passport is annoying, but it will all be straightened out. After that, everything will be all right. Well, can't you wait until then to sell the diamonds? I might forget not. I have bills. I must pay my attorney. My family, they must be taken care of. I need the money now. I'm still not sure. Kind lady, let me show you the gems. Just let me show them to you and then decide. Has it? Coffee, please. Yeah, coffee. Two coffees, right away. There, just look at them. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful in your life? They are nice. These are all we were able to get out of the country. Weeks before we left, we saw everything we owned to buy them. You know, in Europe, diamonds are about the only thing that has a set value. If I were to tell you the trouble we had in getting them, but that would take too long, and I have already taken too much of your time. Well, not at all. How much are you asking for them? On the market, they are worth an American dollar, so at least $10,000. Well, I could never pay that much for them. But you would not have to. I don't understand. It is simple. You take them to any jeweler in the city, anyone at all, you pick him out. Take the diamonds to him, ask him what they are worth. Then come back to me, and we can make the transaction. You see what he will offer you for me. You will see that what I have said is the truth. You can buy them for me. I will get the money I need. Then you can sell them to the same jeweler and make a handsome profit. Go ahead, take them. I will wait for you here. You'll trust me with them? Certainly. I knew when I saw you in the bank I could depend on you. I trust you with my life savings. All right, let's go. Yeah. Something I can do for you gentlemen? Police officers, you're under arrest. On what job? Grand fest. You must be joking. Right, not. Let's go. Get everything you need at Sergeant Friday? Yeah. Thanks, Margaret. You know, I ain't with them. I'm a police officer too. How are you going to know? I'll take the diamonds. You want to give us a Zircon's too? Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Well, how's the deal? You're going to have to prove it, you know. We'll take care of that. How are you going to do it? It shouldn't be too tough. Have the victims take a look at you. They should give us a positive identification, shouldn't they? Yeah, I guess so. Where'd you get the stones? I picked them up in New York. They're real. Worth easy $13,000, maybe $14,000. How about the imitation? What about? Well, where'd you get them? Friend of mine got back these. Just hobby his life, you know. Lapidary? Yeah, that's it. I had him cut the Zircons for me. You know why you want them? Well, I told him it was for a joke asking to make me six sets. All of them like the real ones. Only had this one and one more to get rid of. Just two more and you have to tag me. In rough go. You need me for any more, Sergeant? No, thanks, Mario. We'll take him in. Yeah, I'll go on then. Right, thanks again. Glad to help. Thanks, Margaret. Yeah, see you downtown. Right. Tell Chief Brown we'll be in the same with you. OK. All right, Mr. Let's go. Might if I finish my coffee? All right, make it fast. OK, thanks. What's your name? Nathan Croner. You ever fallen before? Couple of times, small beads. Where? Midwest, Colorado, Kansas. Big time? Berglary, served three years in Colorado, turn Kansas. I thought you had it figured this time. It's your way to make it pay. Never know, do you? What's that? How it's going to turn out. Take your start, for instance. Yeah. Hey, you got a cigarette? Yeah, there you go. Eric, thanks. I got a match. This would never work if you tried it with honest people. Is that right? Sure. Right off, I told him I was having trouble with my passport. Even told one of them I was in the country illegally. That's when he should have gone to the cops right then. Can I miss that? What's that? The coffee. Can I miss it? Anyway, if every one of them didn't have a little thievery and a con game in the world or to work, you ever think of that? Yeah, once in a while. I hand over a bunch of diamonds. Now, I know they're worth a minimum of $15,000. Worth that anywhere in the country. So what happens? The mark takes them into a jeweler and finds out they're worth that much. And right away, he's out to try to make a fast buck for himself. He comes back, tells me they're only good for $10,000. You see? Thieves. You about finished with that coffee? Yeah. Now, the mark stands to make himself a cup of $1,000 going in, but that isn't enough. He's going to take me for more. It wouldn't work if they weren't thieves at heart. Well, that still doesn't give you the right to take them. I suppose not. I get a real kick, though, out of figuring what they look like when they find out they're stuck with a handful of cut glass. Must be real yaks to see that look. And how about that coffee? Come on, let's go. Yep. OK, I'm with you. All right. Pull this dodge anyplace else in the country? I mean, it's the first place. Figured if I scored good here, I could take it easy. You know, work a bit maybe once a year in a different city. Keep moving. Make any difference how they talk or what kind of clothes. They wear a mark, sell a mark. I just had a bad deal going good. I could have lived off of it for years. That's what you wanted, huh? Yeah, just a deal to keep me in closing for a roof over my head, nothing big. Well, it all worked out then, didn't it? What? That's what you're going to get. Come on. Mr. Protect the Innocence. On April 15th, trial was held in Department 98, Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the county of Los Angeles. The prosecution found guilty on four counts of grand theft and received punishment as prescribed by law. Grand theft is punishable by imprisonment for a period of not more than one year in the county jail or for a period of not less than one nor more than 10 years in the state penitentiary. Dragnet, the story of your police force in action is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces radio service.