 Up to here is crew. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Dragnet, brought to you by Chesterfield. This is the best, Chesterfield, and the time to change today. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a burglary detail. You get a call to meet a fire inspector at a burned-out home. There's reason to believe the fire was started by a burglar. 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 to an actual case transcribed from official police fire. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was cool in Los Angeles. We were looking at night watch out a burglary detail. My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Bernard. My name's Frankie. We're on our way out from the office. It was 9.12 p.m. when we got to 2607 West 50th Street, the scene of the fire. That's the way it looks. Hi, I'm Joe. Hi, Tom. You know my partner. Frank, expect a straighter from the fire department. Sure. I've been some time since we worked together, Joe. Yeah, over a year, isn't it? Yeah, about that. Oh, what do you have for us this time tonight? Easy to show you. Come on back. All right. Most of the damage is in the bedroom, starting the closet. Yeah. It burns through the next room, though, little girl's bedroom. Mm-hmm. Here we are. Mm-hmm. Yeah, burned down, huh? Could have been a lot worse. Neighbor saw the flames through the window. Must have seen it right away. She called us in the end and told me he got it out before the whole house had got it. The place locked when they got here? Yeah, had to break through the back door to gain entrance. All right, now where do we fit it? Well, we're pretty certain the fire was started deliberately. Bro. Well, I was checking. I noticed the window had been tampered with. Come here. I'll show you what I mean. See the lock? Yeah. Yeah. Looks like it was forced, doesn't it? See here? Screws are pulled right out of the frame. Yeah. Glass is cracked, too. Mm-hmm. Any catch your boys might have done this? No, I checked that angle. The only place they tried was the back door. Mm-hmm. Was the window open when you first saw it, huh? Yeah, just like it is now. Raised about minutes. Yeah. I think he's my trio on the cell. Uh-huh. Probably made it to the window this far, sir. Better get the lab out here, I guess. Yeah, I guess. Fall into the front door and near the table. Thank you, sir. You've been able to contact the owner, Tom? Yeah. He was with his wife and little girl. Todd here just about the time they had the fire out. Took her wife and kid over just at this place for the night. Well, did he know if anything had been stolen? Didn't ask for a laugh. He said he'd come back since he could. Have you got any ideas? Yeah. Well, I'm sure the fire was set. Might be insurance. Maybe a pile of maniac. Steve's trying to cover something. I'm at the pass. This is my partner, Sergeant Friday. I do, sir. How are you, sir? How are you, sir? Are you a mad inspector, sir? Yes, sir. How are you, Todd? Go back as soon as I could. The wife and daughter are pretty upset. We understand, sir. She didn't think about it tonight, but she will tomorrow. And then I'll be in for it. How's that, sir? About the insurance. What about the insurance? Well, I don't have any. I can hear you now if you'll be up one side and down the other. You don't have any fire insurance on the house at all? That's right. I have a personal property. Uh-huh. No. My wife's been asking me to take some out. Maybe I would have. But you never saw such a one-way guy always looking to feather his own nest, you know, the kind. Yeah. I thought I was painting the kid's room, you know. They could give me a hand or you bet he didn't. So what happens, they got no insurance. Uh-huh. Now, Mr. Taff, we'd like you to do something for us if you wouldn't. Sure thing. As long as it doesn't cost me. It's going to put me in a hole, but good. What is it? Would you check around to see if any personal items are missing here? You mean stone? Yes, sir. That's right. Well, you think someone broke in and stole something and set the fire? Oh, we're not sure yet. We want you to help us. No insurance, then we're out with no insurance. My wife's brother-in-law won't ever get off my back and my wife. Mm-hmm. Would you check for us then? Yeah, sure thing. Thank you. How much in here? It's based on the wife's jewelry. And what she had was in the chair box. All right. He would have cut this stuff. What's that? I'll open it. Let me know, man. Well, it's empty. Everything's gone. Was it pretty expensive? Well, it didn't cost much, if that's what you mean. Uh-huh. Mostly costume jewelry. Her watch was in here, though. She forgot it tonight. Went over to the transfer district window shopping, where I mentioned that she left it here. You think anything else is missing in here? Uh-huh. I don't think so, unless maybe my wife's clothes in the closet and the way that looks, I don't get you to tell much. What do you think, Tom? Well, I can give it a preliminary check while you're going through the rest of the house. Let you know. All right, fine. We'll check the rest of the place for us, then. Oh, yes, sir. All right. Well, what a night. Since I wanted to steal something, you pick a place with that stuff worth lifting. And here's the kids room. Oh, look at them mess in here. I just finished painting last week. Look at it. Daryl's book's all burned. Well, kids saw that tonight. Just criticized her. I don't know. Guy did this much. They had a head full of rocks. Yeah. Christmas ain't far off. I don't know how. When I'll see to it, she gets dolls and books. Nice ones. Better than these were. Uh-huh. Wasn't anything in there, you see? All right, kids. Right off, I can see matters for the radio. I had a little portable on the shelf right over there. Well, I'd like to listen to this daytime program as long as it's working. Uh-huh. Something more to plan for Christmas. What if you have a serial number on the radio by any fall? Uh-huh. Never paid any attention to things like that. Anyway, I got a second hand. I wasn't worth much. It played good, though. Uh-huh. I think it's good enough. You know what's in any else, dog? Uh-huh. Right off hand. At 6, I always talk about a beer. I like that stolen, too. No, I don't like it. Well, that really does it. What's that for? That says it's off good. He stole a ham. What? A ham weighs 12 pounds and is saving it for Thanksgiving. You know, that goes to big dinner, my wife plans. Well, I guess it's all right if you laugh about it, huh? Yeah, I was just thinking. Maybe I'll have the last laugh at my wife's brother. What's that? He was coming to dinner. Further examination of the kitchen showed that about 20 forms of food had been taken. Angus Taft looked through the rest of the house, but he said he didn't see anything else was missing. Like the Tom Strader said, he was fairly sure there were no clothes in the closet when it burned. Men from the crime lab form out into pictures of the window and also the place of origin of the fire. A detail from Layton Prince checked the house. Frank and I questioned people in the neighborhood, but none of them had seen or heard anyone around the Taft house before the fire started. Inspector Strader said he would notify our office of all similar house fires. The next night, we got a report from Layton Prince. They said the Prince they'd lifted from the Taft home belonged to members of the family. Ray Pinker sent word over from the crime lab that the marks on the window sill had been made by a half inch pry bar. On November 10th, we got another call from Inspector Strader, and we went out to 2725 West 49th Street. By 1026 p.m., we had completed our inspection of the burned interior of the house, and we talked to the owner. That was pretty much like the last one. Looks like more damage this time, though. Yeah, it's on the floor different by the side of this house. Same entry, bedroom window. Go on articles, it's about the same. I don't get that fight. How's that, Frank? It's not the spellings. Not much value to it. We've got some jewelry, clothes, food, portable radio. You'd think anyone that goes out on a limb like this would try to make it worth it's while. Not so much we can check the usual searches for. One thing that might help us, we don't have. What's that, Joe? Serial numbers. People could just give us the numbers on their radio. Other store and property, we'd have something definite to look for. I know it's a lot to ask, but if they could just do that. What do you estimate the fire loss to be here? A couple thousand dollars. I hope your crime lab at Layton Prince can come up with a lead to give your fellow something concrete to work with. What do you think, Joe? Same question? Well, it might be too early to say. But the fires are in the same neighborhood. Similar ammo. Canses are fair that it's the same one, yeah. Uh-huh. Keeps up some of this while we get hurt. We haven't got too much to go on. Oh, we've got a place to start, huh? We know he's got some matches. Frank and I questioned the neighborhood, but we failed to get any useful information. Layton Prince were unable to come up with anything. The crime lab reported the window had been forced by a one-half inch crime bar. Within the next three weeks, despite our efforts, six more fires and burglaries occurred. In each case, the same ammo was used. We had sent telepipes to CII and all points requesting information on any person who was used with same ammo. The staff opposite made a run. No one else was sent. Pawn shops and second-hand stores were notified, but we still had no definite lead as to the identity of the arsonist burglar. We set out a pin map to see if a directional trend was developed. 8.57 p.m., Wednesday, December 2nd. We were checking the map with Sergeant Rex Olson. Anything new, Joe? Well, we've had a few burglaries further west, up in here, but no fire. How about the ammo? Same. Bedroom window entry, same type article stolen. You know, this operator's really a wig. Take a look at this list of items that have been taken. Dog food, baby clothes, golf balls, tennis balls, camping equipment, and a phonogram. That's quite an assortment. Tennis balls were initialed, I think, by the owner. He said he could identify them. Details have been second playgrounds for him. I guess you pretty well covered every angle, then. Well, actually, the extra men from Metro and the fire department have been on stake out in areas where fires have occurred. They've run down a lot of leads, but we haven't come up with anything to date. You know, how about prints? Well, how many will give us any prizes? I guess they're switching ammo or something to be thankful for them. Well, the guy's still out breathing the same air as we do. Yeah. I know it bothers you, but you're doing your best. You can ask them more. If you talk to some of these families that have been burned out and feel what you could, then I feel. The guy hasn't satisfied setting one fire in the house. He's set as many as six in one place. Look at those red pins. How'd you know? Burgory ocean. Uh-huh. What's that address? 1904. What's 50, sir? Right. Yeah, they're with me now. Yeah. Burgory, here's the address. Right. Anything else? Yeah, another red tent. We're out to the address on 50th Street. Like the other homes hit by the arsonist burglar, it was a small one-story house. Inspector Stratus showed us where five fires had been started. The main damage was in the rear of the building. And we had been made through a bedroom window. We called the crime lab in Leighton Springs. The owner, Mr. Clinton Bates, arrived and checked for missing property. 1027 p.m. We came to the living room. Well, right off hand, I'd say nothing was missing in here. Well, sir, it's possible he just didn't kill a little official. Why'd he say that, Stratus? Well, no fire was started before. Now, we found another home. The burglar usually starts a fire in a room where he takes something. Let's see. Mr. Bates? Yeah. Well, sir, the first year Mr. Bates said it was initial. That's right. I gave it to my wife for a birthday. It was monogrammed LCB in gold letters. It wasn't really expensive. L-C-B. In fact, nothing that was taken was a too much value. Why did a person go to the trouble of breaking a house in a little comic book? It didn't make sense. Well, like you said, your daughter's name was written on the book. Yeah. My wife always writes her name's Carol on them. You know how kids treat them back and forth. My daughter takes after her mother and never wants to throw anything away. I've had over a hundred comic books, sir. I think there's a lot of junk at which he had taken. And just left the house the way it was, without setting the fires. Now about the coins that we're taking. Yeah. This is the first time that any money has been stolen. But what did he take? About two dollars worth of coins. Not much to help you there, is it? That's as it might be. They're American coins that can be spent. Well, the fact that they're old may give us a lead if somebody tries to spend them. They kind of belong to that, isn't it? Yes, sir, maybe. But this person hasn't given us much choice. So do you think it could give us the dates on the coins? Well, I can't, but my wife may be able to. They belong to her. Like I told you, she never gets to have anything. Mm-hmm. She got them from an ass a couple, three weeks ago. I told her that since they were old, they might be worth more than just the regular value. Yes, sir. So she took them to some shop, you know, where they handle old money. Man, I told her they weren't in demand, only worth a nickel dime, whatever it was. I needed to change the cigarettes one day, but she wouldn't give them to me. Anything old can hang down, sir. Can you see the jumps around here? What would you get those dates for? Well, try, but like I said, if the person that did this had just forgot about the firefight and carted off some of the other junkies, he'd have been doing me a big favor. Oh, sir, but they don't have that in mind. What do you mean? To help anybody. We got the description of the dates of the coins from Mrs. Bates. All officers were given the information. From our pin map, we figured our suspect might live near Simeron Street in Vernon Avenue. We spent several days contacting all the businesses in that vicinity, and gave each owner a complete description of the coins. We asked them to get the license number or address of any person that might pass them, and to call us right away. In the meantime, latent prints sent words from the window ledges to home of the last burglary and fire that they had lifted several clean prints. Five days went by. Monday, December 7th. A store owner called us regarding the coins. Right after I drove out to the corner of Simeron Street in 43rd Place, a small neighborhood variety store. Police officers. Are you all? Yes, ma'am. We ran to see you the other day. Oh! Well, good to know until I get my glasses on. I'm trying to get my glasses on. I'm just before you kill me, and I don't see much of that anymore. There. Oh! Here, I remember you. You came in about the old money. Yes, ma'am. That's right. We got your call. Well, it's a good thing I had my glasses on about an hour ago. What do you mean, ma'am? When I got those coins. Maybe I wouldn't have noticed. Then you took in some unweltering the description we gave you, didn't you? A first customer this morning. I guess maybe about five six of the kids that I noticed. Mm-hmm. I'll call the number on the card you gave me right away. That was very cooperative of you, ma'am. I'm only doing my duty as I see it. You managed to end up holding the arm as you put it in my shoe. It's my job to help you. Anywhere I can. Yes, ma'am. Now, what if we might see the coins? Okay, we'll see. I'll get them for you. Thank you. When I saw the thing with that old money, the last thing you told me about, I just knew what it was in the register. Oh, no. I'll pass them on to the fellow boss. I'll keep you in the room, Steve. Uh-huh. Maybe I'd better not mind, I'm sorry. Oh, that's fine. I didn't want to be sick with slingers. It's easier to get blood poisoning. Mm-hmm. You got that list, Frank? Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Here. Is everyone here looking for us? Yes, ma'am. Yeah, ma'am. That gives me a real fine feeling that I've done a good deed for the girls. Well, you have, ma'am. Ma'am, maybe you can help us even more and tell us about the person that gave it is. Okay, Betsy. I plan. If there's something I don't quite understand. What's that, ma'am? I thought you could be seen as generally looking for a real bad man. No, not always. What? That's what seems wrong. To please not get me some couldn't be the one you want. Why do you say that? It was a little girl about nine years old. While it left, she'd followed her to a house about three blocks away. We gave her a receipt for the coins and drove over to 2216, left 43rd Place, the address she'd given us. Frank drove past the house slowly and we saw a 1940 Plymouth sedan parked in the driveway. On the second trip, I got the license number of the vehicle. We called the office and they sent out another team to stake out the place. We went back to the office and called DMV. They gave us the name Lyndon Granger as the legal owner. We checked in into R&I and found that he had five arrests for burglary as a juvenile. We called Lately Prince and asked them to check the fingerprints found at the house on 50th Street. 1037 AM. When are they going to call? Sir, they have found it. Check them thoroughly, I guess. I was just thinking, Joe, what happened to things that isn't our boy? Well, I guess it's kind of easy to figure, don't you? Huh? Sure. Find out where the girl got the coins. Yeah, I was thinking about that. You know what that should mean? Mm-hmm. More footwork. I'm telling you, Joe, I haven't put on so many miles that I work traffic. You don't have to tell me. What do you mean? All these miles you're talking about. Oh, yeah. I was really, remember? Yeah. I know, Joe, but after all, I'm carrying a few more pounds than you are. That is correct. It makes a big difference. You know how it is when you go deer hunting? Don't you think? I don't. I never go. Well, when you're carrying a rifle, never carry one. Well, when you go deer hunting, and you do carry a rifle, you start out in the morning, the rifle doesn't weigh much at all. It doesn't. Well, at least it feels heavy, but along toward the end of the day, I handle a few pounds for your life, 20. Mm-hmm. That's the way it is. With the extra pounds I carry around. Mm-hmm. Really, buddy. Yeah. On two of them. Mm. Good. Right. Right. Right. Right in Prince? Yeah. Granger's Prince. Uh-huh. They made him on the last job. Ah! The fact that Granger's Prince tied him in with a last-fire burglary was enough to get a complaint. But we wanted an air-tight case. We decided to follow the suspect that night. Another team was set out to relieve the stake out on his home. When Granger left the house at 8.09 p.m., Frank and I were behind him. The other team remained at the house. We followed them for about an hour. 9.13 p.m. All right, John. With rhythm. All right. We better take him away from home before he gets arrested. Let's get him on the story, huh? Yeah. He's blown down. I'll pull over. John. Get him, Tim? Yeah. It looks like another twist in his operation. They're going from that car. Well, what did he take? Did you see? Blanket or a robe at some time. Come on, let's get him. All right. Did you say Prince Johnson's? Ah! Yeah, all right. His hand lines are back now. Well, I didn't hear you too good. I wouldn't have taken off if I'd known you were tough. That's the truth. If I was here, I'd believe that. Is that so? Well, I'm just going to feel terrible if you guys don't believe me. Well, now that's too bad. Huh? We don't. With question, Granger, but he refused to admit any knowledge of the burglaries or the fires. We met the other two on stake out and they took him into custody while we went in to talk to his wife. We identified ourselves and she told us to come in. Shut up, Thorpon. Be quiet. Don't worry about him. He won't bite. Thorpon's no good for anything except that he sleeps. Oh, I didn't take him with him tonight. What's that, ma'am? My husband goes out just about every night. He takes a dog with him. Not tonight. None of my feet have any manners. Is anybody else in the house beside you? Huh? Are you alone here? Yeah. Step it up, ma'am. Why? Well, you don't mind if we look around, do you? Do you believe me? Well, yes. You have to. I ain't hiding. Nobody go ahead. I'll take you there. Come in. You want to sit down, Granger? Why? You going to bring your sister? If you think we have to ask you. Oh. Get off, Thorpon. What do you want to ask? What kind of work does your husband do? He's a window washer. Well, who's his employer? Nobody. But does he work for a business consent of any kind? You mean like a store? That's right. Yeah, but he washes windows for people, too. You know, at house. Mm-hmm. John, you found this on the desk in the bedroom. Hey, when did you run my person? This belong to you? I took it out of my room, didn't I? Where'd you get it? My husband. Did he say where he got it? Yeah. All night markets. How about these initials here? LCB. Well, sure. That's what I got to see. You thought it was closing them off. Your husband goes out every night, doesn't he? Yeah. Has he brought everything home from this same market? Why, yes. Just tell us, has he? Yeah. What? Something wrong? Did he do something? What other things did he bring home? I don't think I'll tell you. Well, that's up to you, Miss Granger. There'd be a lot better for you if you told us the truth. How about what? I think your husband has brought home. I thought there was something wrong, but he said he got them at a market. Uh-huh. Did he steal them? We think he did, yeah. Makes sense. Seems to die. I was thinking of the person. I thought it was funny. He'd spend my life out. He didn't take that much of me. What's that? He thinks more of that dog than he does of me. He gave me the person, and the next day he put most of it on sportsmen. How about that? The dog. He put most of the person on the dog. He got caught. He was too smart. Look at that collar. Pretty, isn't it? All jewels. He'd steal lots, not with dogs. What else did he bring home? Food, clothes, magazines, all kinds of things. What are they? Food we ate. Other stuff. I don't know if it's some of it's in a garage. You want to show us? All right. We got the front door, of course. All right. Do you have any children in this danger? No. Pretty dark. They're my classmates. You know if your husband's had any old coins recently? Yeah. Give them to me. Okay. One of these couples died in the quarter. I remember because it's the only money he's given me a long time. You steal them, too? Looks like it. There's a key on the left side of the door. Hang on a minute. Yeah. Like that. You still have those coins? No. I sent a neighbor girl to the store for me today. It was the only money I had. She's got them lights on the left side. All right. What's that name, Joe? That's right down the line. Just clapping equipment. Is this something we got at that market, too? Yeah, I guess so. You never bought them like I remember. But then it really never took me anything. Do you know what's in this box? No. Do you know where the key is for the lock? No. Guess it happened. You hear that, Henry? Yeah. You're going to break the lock? Yeah. That's fine, that's all. No, my husband's so old, I think. Yeah, I think so, Miss Danger, but that's not the worst of it. Oh, no. In several of the homes we take, he set fires. I mean, I'm guilty, too. No, ma'am, not necessarily. Not if you didn't know about it. I don't know. I never told ma'am. No, ma'am. I'm not about him. And it's not to me. Oh, oh. You come in here and say my husband's a thief? You know, I don't like this. That's not easy to take. Oh, there's one other thing, Miss Danger. What? Not easy to say. The name of the chain is to protect the innocent. On March 9th, trial was held in Department 98 Superior Court of the State of California in and for the County of Los Angeles. In a moment the results of that trial. The defendant Frederick Granger was tried and convicted of burglary in the first degree, five counts, and of arson, four counts. He received sentence as prescribed by law. Burglary in the first degree is punishable by imprisonment for a period of not less than five years. Arson is punishable by imprisonment for a period of from two to 20 years in the state penitentiary. 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. Technical advisors, Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Wynn, Sergeant Van Sprecher. Heard tonight were Ben Alexander, Walter Sande, Jack Krushen, Virginia Gray. Scripted by John Robinson, Earl Slade. Music by Walter Schumann. Hell, give me speed. Watch an entirely different Dragnet case history each week on your local NBC television station. Please check your newspapers for the day and time.