 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Dragnet. You're a detective sergeant, you're assigned to robbery details. You get a call from the Georgia Street Hospital. A woman has been brought in to receive emergency treatment. She says she was kidnapped and robbed. Your job, investigate. The documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step-by-step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It's February 4th. It's cool in Los Angeles. We're working tonight. Watch out for robbery details. My partner is Frank Smith. The boss is Chief of Detective Stad Brown. My name's Friday. We're on our way out from the office. It was 832 when we got to Georgia Street Hospital. The treatment room. Dr. Hall? Hi, Frank. Be right with me. It's good to meet you. Is that me, doctor? Hi. Hi, doctor. Is that the officer woman? Yeah. How is she? Bruce is about the face, not to this area. She can wait when you finish with her. Good. We're going now? Sure. Let me in. All right. Thanks, doc. Ms. Alston? Yes? We're police officers. It's Frank Smith. My name's Friday. How do you do? I do, ma'am. Doctors just told us that you could return home when we finish questioning you, so we're trying not to keep you too long. Thank you. I'm not really hurt much. I was more frightened than anything else. Thanks, ma'am. Would you like to tell us what happened now? I stopped at a signal at Washington Boulevard in Normandy, and suddenly the car door opened and a man jumped in the car. I was scared, and I let out a yell. Which door did he open? On the passenger side. He got right in the front seat beside me. All right. He had a knife in his hand. He said not to scream, or he stabbed me. Put the knife right against my ribs, right? Right here. Then he said to drive straight ahead. I did. But we went a couple of blocks. I guess it wasn't. I thought it was a good idea. When I pulled over the curb, another man got in the car, in the back seat. The one with the knife told me to get in the back seat. And when I did, he gave the knife to the other man. Then he started to drive. And the man in the back took my person in the front seat and started going through it. I don't know why I did, but I grabbed for it. It was a mistake. You slapped me. You slapped me. He said that was just a sample. I'd get some more if I didn't just sit quiet. He took the money I had in my bills, and grabbed my arm. He twisted it so I had a watch on. And I hesitated when he told me to take it off, and then he hit me again. He took your watch, too, did he? Yeah, and my ring, too. Can you give us a serial number on the watch? Yes, I did. I did. Any description of the ring, too? All right. Would you go on, please? Oh, sure. I'd wind up with a picture and a headline, and tomorrow's paper of one way or the other. How do you mean that? Well, he was driving like a maniac, just breaking all kinds of laws. That's right. Then I thought, well, maybe this might be a good thing. Driving like that, I mean, because a police car started chasing us. I could hear the siren, and I thought I saw the red light. I was hoping that catches the... Well, somehow we got away from him. The man took so many chances, you know. I wonder if we didn't smash up sooner. You mean that you did have an accident later on? We didn't know about that? No. Well, after he got away from the police car, this man kept driving real crazy and dangerous. Finally, we went down a dead-end street. He put on a red light, and I thought, well, maybe this might be a good thing. We went down a dead-end street. He put on a brakes, but it was too late, and we smashed into a wall of some kind. And he got out of the car, and he started running. I started screaming. Anyhow, some man came out of a building. I told him what had happened, and he called the police and the ambulance. Here I am. I feel some shake, but I'm thankful it wasn't any worse. Can you give us a description of these two, ma'am? Well, not much, I'm afraid. That makes me feel pretty stupid, too. What do you mean, ma'am? Well, I'm always doing those observation tests and magazines. That could get real high ratings, and when I'm up against the real thing, I'd fail. Can you give us a general idea of their age and the color and the height, the way they were dressed? I don't think they were too old. Maybe around 20, so. They had dark hair. I can't tell you how tall they were. The only time I saw them standing up was when they ran away from the car. As I remember, the one that drove had on a sport coat, tan color. And the one in the back had on a brown suede jacket. You know, that's kind of with a knit, cuff, and the color and the waist. That's about all I can remember. I'm sorry. That's all right, Miss Austin. I appreciate the fact you're under a pretty bad strain. I really thought they'd kill me. Do you remember if they were clean-shaven? You mean that they have mustaches? That's right. No, they didn't. Well, do you remember if either of them had any scars or marks on their faces? Anything distinguishing that might help us identify them later? Well, if they did, I didn't see any. Well, it was one thing. I don't know if it means anything. Yeah. The one that was driving had a bandage on his thumb. I could see that because he held the steering wheel up near the top. On which hand? The right one. It was all wrapped up, you know, all around, not just adhesive kind. I'm sorry I can't give you more information. I didn't make me happier than for you to catch them, especially the one that kept hitting me on the back seat. Yes, ma'am, we understand. I think he enjoyed it. He grinned when he did it, after I made the mistake of grabbing to my purse. I tried not to give him a reason to hit me again. It didn't help. He just hit me when he felt like it, no reason at all. It really wouldn't have made any difference what you did, ma'am. How do you mean, Mr. Fred? Men like that, they don't need a reason. We continued the question, Gwen Alton, but she could add nothing further than what ate us in identifying a suspect. She did give us a description of the ring. She said she would call and give us the serial number of her watch. She couldn't tell us anything about the knife used to intimidate her, other than the fact that it had a blade about six inches long. We asked her to come down to the city hall and check the mug books. Dr. Hall released the victim, and she returned home in the company of her brother. The radio unit for the dance of the call had gotten out a local broadcast on the two suspects. They impounded the victim's car and it had been moved to the official police garage. 9.37 PM, Frank and I drove over to Wall Street. The crew from Layton's Prince had just finished going over the car. Hi, Jill, Frank. Hi, Arnold. I know where you are. You fellas draw this one? Yeah, he's gonna give us some help this time. Yeah, just finishing doesn't look too good. Partial is nothing real clean. Well, what we got from the victim it looks like we got our work cut out for her for a minute. What do you mean, Joe? Well, all she could give us and only have a description would fit any number of guys. I see. Well, we got something out of the back seat that might be some use to you. What's that, Harold? I got it right here in the middle. There you are, Joe. What's it? That aluminum container has some corneal lenses in it. What do you mean? Eyeglasses. You know, the kind that fit right in the eye. Oh. Where'd you find them? In the back seat, right on top of the cushion. Well, it might be something we'll have to check and see if they belong to her or anybody in their family. Yeah. What is this case, Joe? Kidnapping robbery. How many suspects? Two. One woman in the car? Yeah. Or her at all? Yeah, beat her up a little. Huh. Real he-man, huh? I sure wish I had more for you fellas to go on. Yeah, Harold, we don't have much, but at least we know something. What's that, Joe? When we reach these two. Yeah. They won't give us any fight. We went back to the office and called Gwen Alston. She told us the corneal lenses found in her car did not belong to her or to any member of her immediate family. She also gave us the serial number on her watch. We took the container over the crime lab. Ray Pinker said because of the facets on the lenses, he thought it was a type made by the Stimson Company. The next morning, we drove out to their shop to talk to George Dudley. We showed him the lenses. Yes, that's our lens. You can tell quite easily when you hold it up to the light. See those little facets? Mm-hmm. Where's it? Oh, yeah. Could you tell us who these were made for, Dudley? I can give you the name of the optician. Appreciate it if you could. I'll have to check our files. It shouldn't take too long. All right, sir. Ordinarily, we'd have to check lens power, diameter, and radius curvature. Yes, sir. This is a special type lens. That's all. Use the correct condition of the eye and on its character conus. What's that, sir? A conical corneal. Oh, wow. We don't make too many of them. Excuse me, I'll get the name of the optician for you. All right, fine. Pretty good deal, huh? Yeah. I know a fellow who wears them. Says he used to hate to get a haircut, but not anymore, all right? Yeah, well, these glasses on his eyes now can get his hair cut. Let's go read the magazine. I found it for you. That's good. These were made for John L. Roberts. Just a minute, sir. I'd like to write that down. OK, go ahead, please. John L. Roberts. Mm-hmm. 439 Camden Drive, Beverly Hills. Thanks, sir. Got it? Yes, sir. This is the optician that sent him the prescription. That's right. All right, fine. Thanks for your cooperation, Dudley. Not at all. I always get a kick out of helping you, fella. Yes, sir. A lot of steps to solve the problem, right, sir? Quite a few, yeah. Sure about giving you a little something? You have. A lot of steps. Yes, sir. Can you help us make the first one? We drove out to Beverly Hills when we talked to John L. Roberts. He checked the prescription number against his files and gave us an e-mail address of a Robert Bryarton as the man he had fitted with a corneal lens. Frank and I went over to the house on Bedford Street, but there was nobody home. We found out from a neighbor that Bryarton worked for a coin machine repair company on people Boulevard. We located the concern and the manager showed us where we could find the suspect. At 10.13 a.m. Robert Bryarton? Hmm? Is your name Robert Bryarton? Yeah. Police officers for identification. Joe Bryarton? That's right. Frank Smith. Mm-hmm. I'd like to ask you some questions. What about? You wear those glasses all the time? About what? The glasses you got on. Do you wear them for work? Yeah, most of the time. What's this about glasses? You ever wear any other kind? Yeah, why? What kind? How many kinds are they? Why don't you tell us? I don't get this. What am I supposed to have done? You wear another kind of glasses? Not what you said? Yeah. What kind? The corneal lens type. Where are they? I don't know. Home, I guess. You're not sure? Look, officers, I don't know what you're after, but if it's something that happened the last 20 years, you've got the wrong guy. Well, if we have, then you've got nothing to worry about, have you? That's right, but a mistaken identity can be embarrassing. I just like to know what I'm supposed to have done. Suppose you tell us about the other glasses, huh? Your corneal lens? Yeah. What do you want to know about them? Like we said before, we don't know where they are. Like I said, home. You're sure? Yeah. How many pairs do you have? One. You wear glasses all the time? Yeah. Can you see without them? Yeah, but not too good. Where were you the night before last? At home? How about last night? Same. All night? Right. Can you prove it? The point will tell you that. You can call her on the phone. She'll tell you I didn't win the house. All right. We'll go out there. You can call her just as well. We'd like to see your other glasses, too. All right. You mind telling me what this is all about? We're investigating kidnapping and robbery. You think I had something to do with it? We're investigating. Okay, if that's how it is, I've got nothing to hide. You want to go right now? That's right. My jacket's right here in the locker. Wait a minute. I'll get it for you. That's it? Yeah, the Bond's way with the net trim. Robert Bryant and with us, we drove out to his home. On the way, he continued to deny any knowledge of the crime. Because the victim, Gwen Alston, has been unable to furnish it with much of a description of the suspects, it was difficult to determine whether or not Bryant was one of the men. He had dark hair. He was in his early 20s. This way, Jacketty wore checked out. 11.07 a.m. Anna? Anna? I guess you're in here. It's all right. We'll wait for her. Now, I've been trying to make up my mind whether I should be mad or not. I know you're only doing what you have to, so I guess there's no need to get overheated, but I'll say it again, you got the wrong guy. Well, if we're wrong, we'll admit it. Just hope this doesn't put me in bed down at work. No need for it, too, if you're innocent. Well, so. You want to sit down? I don't know, just when my wife will get back. If you don't mind, we'd like to see your other glasses now. Oh, sure, I'll get them for you. Why are they? Well, I usually keep them on the bedroom dresser when I'm not using them. All right, we'll go with you, all right? Sure. I hope she made the bed. She's a pretty good housekeeper, but sometimes she gets a little sloppy about it. Yeah. They were right here on the dresser. Yeah. I haven't had them too long. I switched off with these that I'm wearing. Did you wear them yesterday? Yeah, but then they should still be on the dresser. I don't know where they could be. I don't know where we can help you. What do you mean? Who's back there? Anna? What are you doing wrong? Oh, honey, these are police officers. This is my wife. I do. How are you doing, ma'am? What are they doing here? We're like talking to Biden. About what? Don't worry, dear. But what's it all about? Like step out in the living room, please. It's all right, dear. I don't understand it. Listen, Lou, can you tell us what your husband was to his evening? He was home. With me. How about last night? He was here all evening. You sure? Yes, he came home from work and stayed in all evening. What is it? Police business. You think Robert had something to do with? Yes, we do. When did this happen? Last night. He told you he was home all evening. That may be true, but these corneal lenses were found in the victim's car. They belonged to Robert? That's what his optician told us, yes. What's all wrong? Well, the victim was beaten by a man who wore a jacket round suede with Nick Trim. That's kind of your husband owns, you know. But he wasn't out of the house, I tell you. I'm afraid Robert took him downtown. No, he didn't do it. I know it. Sorry, Brian. These are your husband's lenses. They were found in the victim's car. But he was with me all evening. Well, it may be, but we're going to have to hold him. No, he didn't do it. It was Gordon. It's Gordon who? I let him wear Robert's jacket last night. Who's Gordon? My brother. You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action. Mrs. Byrd went on to explain that she let her younger brother take the suede jacket the previous night. She also told us that the boy was living with them while they attended school. After questioning her further, we learned that Gordon's headache had been in trouble with the police before. We called the office and asked Jack Crowley to check the name and description through R&I. We also asked that if he came up with a record, he'd have Harlan Stahl compare headache's fingerprints with the parcels found in the victim's car. Frank and I got the address of the school that the boy was attending and we drove over to see him. We waited in the small office while the school authorities located him. Well, Mrs. Alston was right about what she told us. What do you mean? Well, she said she couldn't give us a very accurate description. Yeah. She said the ages might be around 20 or so. Not many high school students look 20, not even seniors. Yeah, that's true, but according to what the Bracken's told us, this could be the boy. Yeah, that's right. Come in. Come on in, son. You Gordon headache? Yeah. Police officers headache. Well, you want me to do standard attention? I told you once to come on in. Now come on over here. Yeah, but remember where you are. If you think soundproof walls. I don't play tough with that, son. Sit down here. Your orders always do, guys. What could you sit down, stand up? You're all the same. But get off a guy's back. All right. Just keep still. I'm sitting in school trying to learn something. You've got to come around and jerk me out of class. Don't you wait until General Assembly. It's the whole school in on it. You don't care what you do to a guy's reputation. That's what you think, is it? Yeah. Now listen, son. We never heard of you before today, but we're finding out fast. The way we got it, you've gone way out of your way to make your own record and you didn't do it in the classroom. We've got a good reason to be here. If you're innocent, you won't have to worry about what anyone in this school thinks. You don't sell me, miss. We don't have to, son. If you're clean, it's like we never met you. But I'm going to put it right on the line for you. The way this thing shapes up right now, we think you already bought yourself another hunt of trouble. Figures. I'm made before I go in. That's where you're wrong, kid. Nobody's going to tag you with a bum, beef. You give us the right answers like my partner said we never met you. All right. What do you want from me? You can start by telling us what you did last night. I went to a show. Where? What time? Around 7, I guess. Who was with you? Nobody. I went by myself. What was the name of the theater? The Dorn. What did you see? What picture? Yeah. I remember right off. One was Western. It was about spies. You were all by yourself? I said so, didn't I? What time did you get out of the show? Around 10, I guess. What'd you do then? Went home. What kind of clothes did you have on last night? What do you mean? What were you wearing? Jacket, sports shirt, usual stuff. What kind of jacket? Swayed. What about you? No. My brother-in-law. How'd you get out to Washington and Normandy? To what? Washington and Normandy. I told you I was downtown. Say what is this? You tell us. You were in that car, weren't you? What? When you beat the woman in. You're crazy. Who was with you? I told you I was alone. What more do you want? The name of the person that was with you. I don't know what you're trying to tag me with, but you're not going to make it this time. I told you, I wore that ass show by myself. How do you think you can prove I wasn't? We found the lenses you lost from the jacket pocket. Boy, this gets wilder all the time. I was sitting in the show last night. That's it. In other words, you don't want to tell us about it, is that it? About the show. All right, headache. You play it your way. It's going to take us a little longer, that's all. Same old story. Don't make any difference what I say. You know, I've got a record, so I'm guilty. I'll make any difference. Either way, I'm the pigeon. No, you're wrong. What about, headache? Oh, come on. I just didn't fall off the Christmas tree. There's only one way we want you. Yeah. If you're wrong. We took Gordon headache to the city hall for further questioning. We called Gwen Alston after to come down and see if she could identify the suspect. Arlen Stahl said the suspect's fingerprints matched the partial found in the car, but there weren't enough points to build a case on. 2.47 p.m., Frank and I had the suspect brought to the squad room. Why don't you give up? I ain't going to cop out to something I didn't do. We don't expect you to. We still want to know how a container with your brother-in-law's lenses could be found in the backseat of a victim's car. Now, they were in his jacket, and you wore that jacket. Isn't that right? Don't ask me. How was it the show? Yeah, so you said. Another thing, you guys better treat me pretty good while I'm in here. Yeah? Sure. I'm a kid. Don't forget. Yeah, that's the way it reads in the books. For my money, that's as far as it goes. I told you once, we can put you in the backseat of that car. Okay. Robert, it's Friday. Right. Send her down with you, right away. Thank you. I'm going to tag the business office. I'll be right back. Okay, John. Ms. Alton. Hello, Sergeant. It's Friday. I'll get down as soon as I could. Oh, that's fine. And have you got the man here? Well, we'd like you to tell us. We'll get down in the hall here. Well, what do I have to do? Just look into this room. Tell me if you see the man that beat you up. Will I have to face him? No. Here, you look through the door. Come on. All right. All right, here. Uh-huh. Now, do you see him? Well, what about it? Yes, that's him there. We confronted Gordon Hettig with the fact that he'd been positively identified by the person who'd beaten and robbed. He still refused to admit any knowledge of the crime. We booked him on section 700 sub-M, Robert. The check was made of the F.I. cards and then attempted to identify the person who'd been with Hettig the night before. It was called Newton University and 77th Street Divisions. When we checked the central, the clerk went through the files and found that the suspect had been stopped at 9th and Main Street at 10 p.m. the previous night. Frank and I went over to the first street station. To the F.I. card you wanted to charge him. Thank you. Mm-hmm. I don't know what we're looking for. Yeah? Wasn't alone. The person by the name of John Burko was with him. Officer, make a card on him, too? Yeah, I got it here. What about the other guy? Thank you. John Burko, B-E-R-K-O-H 19506 Hold Avenue. Yeah? Something else in the back here that checks out. What's that? Notation the officer made. Yeah? Burko's right thumb was bandaged. We went back to the office and ran the name John Burko through R and I. We found a package form that showed several arrests as a juvenile and one as an adult for suspicion of ADW. Gwen Alston was shown his mug shot and she identified him as the other suspect. We drove out to his address on Holt Street. It was a boarding house. We only admitted this to his room. We waited. Four hours went by. 8.19 p.m. Go hold it right there. What? Police officers, get your hands over your head. Come on, move. Sure. Over the door. Come on. Hands up on the door. Fine, I'll hold it right there. You all right? He's clean, John. What's the pitch? Come on, turn around. Put your hands behind your back. All right. Eat. Take it easy with my thumb. I think I got bugged poison. Yeah? Now you want to tell me what this is about? It's time to your sentence over to get you. She says you always work together on everything. It's kind of lonesome without you. Who are you talking about? Patty. He sent you here. He copped up to you? I don't know. What did he say? You figured we're here. I think. Big talk about how he never copped up to anything. Never admit nothing. You know, that's the way it is when you get mixed up with young squirts. All right, let's go. You lousy punk. Suppose you know how he beat up that woman. Yeah. I heard him afterwards, laughing about how he hit her. He figured he'd cop out if he got me. He'll know guts. Got to beat up on women. No guts at all. Well, that's real funny, isn't it? What's that? We just talked to him. Yeah? He said the same things about you. The story you've just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On June 9th, trial was held in Department 97, Superior Court of the State of California in and for the county of Los Angeles. In a moment, the results of that trial. A petition was filed on Gordon Hedig alleging one count of robbery and kidnapping. He was declared unfit as a juvenile and ordered to be tried in Superior Court. Gordon Jerome Hedig and John Carlton Berkel were tried and convicted of robbery in the first degree one count and kidnapping for the purpose of robbery. Robbery in the first degree is punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than five years. Kidnapping for the purpose of robbery with bodily harm is punishable by imprisonment in the state penitentiary for life without possibility of parole. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the office of Chief of Police W. H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department.