 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 burglary detail. An elderly woman reports that a man has stolen $300 from her apartment. She says she saw him. Your job? Check it out. 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 was Thursday, May 19th, with Sonny in Los Angeles. We're working today to watch out a burglary detail. My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Bernard. My name's Friday. We're on our way out from the office. It was 3.47 p.m. when we got to a small apartment house in the corner of Olympic and Sixth. What's that lady's name again, Joe? Dunnbetter. Martha Dunnbetter. Yeah. Must be upstairs. How do you figure that? 48 male slots means eight apartments. Yeah? That's the reason number eight will be on the second floor, don't it? Joe, I wonder who comes from Kansas. What? Why didn't you notice the plaque out in front of the peak of arms? Yeah. That's a city in Kansas. It's the peak of Kansas. Yeah, sure. Somebody must have come from there. They're the owner of the builder. Why else would they give the place a name like that? I don't know. Well, it stands to reason, doesn't it? I guess so. See, you're not the only one who doesn't do it. Do what? Deduce. That's what they call it, the way you figured out number eight is the second floor deduction. I was just giving you an example. When I proved that somebody connected with the building probably lived in Kansas. Right down there. Eight, just like you said. Deduction never fails, Joe. Police officers. Sir, certainly come back. Oh, dear me, you aren't the same ones, are you? No, ma'am. This is Frank Smith. My name's Friday. There were two other police from here just a while ago. Shame you didn't know who saved you, sir. That's all right, ma'am. We knew they'd be here. They're patrol car officers. They were in the neighborhood, so they answered your call. Well, I do. You all right if we come in? Oh, ma'am. You're Mrs. Martha Dunbetter, is that right? No, not exactly. Oh? It's Miss Dunbetter. I'm still single. I see. Well, ma'am, would you mind telling us just what happened this afternoon? Oh, no. No, I don't mind at all. It's still quite clear. All right. Would you go ahead? What does that mean, ma'am? As you go ahead about this afternoon. Oh, well, that's all right. Fixed myself some lunch, and then I read up the dishes. Must've been about one o'clock by the time I finished. All right. Afterwards, I put on my hat and I went down to the library. It's only a couple of blocks from here that go with Cleveland Ranch. Mm-hmm. I took back my books and checked out two fresh ones. All right. What happened next? Well, I come home, and there it was. What's that? I come home, and there he was. Who? Well, that awful man. Well, just where was he? Here, in my apartment. No, I mean which room? Over there, the bedroom. I see. As soon as I came in, I heard him. At least I heard somebody moving around. First, I thought it was Mrs. Parker's manager. I know she sneaked into my apartment and noses around. Well, she says she doesn't, but I know better. Mm-hmm. Well, I got her red-handed this time, so I marched into the bedroom, all ready to give her a piece of my mind. Oh. I was never so flabbergasted in my whole life. He was standing in front of the dresser, going through my pocketbook. I see. My black pad and leather. So one of his holding. Mm-hmm. Well, ma'am, how much money was in the bag? Well, I'm not positive. Not to the penny. About $300. In cash? Yes, sir. You see, I've been saving dimes for the past 15 years. You mean this $300 was in dimes? Oh, goodness gracious, no. What I do is go through my change every night and put all the dimes in my dime bank. And when it's full, I take it down to a real bank and change the coins and the bills. A dime bank holds $25. I see. Well, you'd be surprised how much person can save that way. It mounts up. Yes, ma'am. Do you know the denominations of the bills? I guess they were mostly tans. Maybe one or two bigger ones. Mm-hmm. What did this man do next, Miss Dunbar? Well, he found money. Must be on a dollar. Stuffed it into his pockets. Then he just strolled out of the park once big as life. I was too dumbfounded to do anything about it. I see. I heard him cramp down the stairs, and then I heard the phone door slam. When I was sure he was out of the business, I managed to get my wits together in a dialed central. Central? The operator. He put me in touch with police station. Had you ever seen this man before, Miss Dunbar? No. I'm sure I never did. Could you tell us what he looked like? Well, he's a tall man. How tall? He'll make as you, I'd say. What color hair, please? Dark. Very dark. Fine. Dark eyes, too. Dark complexed. Like he does, spent a lot of time outdoors. How was he dressed? Shirt and pants and jacket. Light color jackets. I think it was green. Did you notice any scars? Yes. Come to think of it. I did. Cross his forehead. Then little zigabizags. About how old would you say he was? Oh, he's young. 35? Maybe 40. You know if anybody else saw him? The other tenants? Well, I haven't talked to you, you know. I haven't left the apartment since it happened. You live alone here, do you? Oh, my, no. That's just a message for you. Where is she this afternoon? She went out town for a few days. This is her grandson and his family. They came down from Oxnard together this morning. I see. Mother's birthday. It should be 80. I expect they're going to have a quiet day's celebration. Yes, ma'am. You're all carrying on. You think it was such an accomplishment. Well, it is pretty ripe old age, ma'am. You don't see what's ripe about it? Oh, I'm nearly 79 myself. Oh. Oh, I know. I don't look it. Everybody thinks there's at least 10 years between us. And Bessie is failing. Yes, ma'am. There's a couple more questions this afternoon. Certainly, young man, certainly. What time was it when you got home from the library? 245. Maybe a few minutes after. No later than three, though. I see. I'll just have to get into the apartment. Was the door locked? Well, I thought it was. Always try to remember to lock it whenever I go out. But sometimes I do forget. Well, I guess I did today. You think he'd recognize the burger if you saw him again? I'm most assured of the word. Mm-hmm. Nothing without it with my eyesight. Oh, that's fine. Well, I'll take you down to the office with us and show you some pictures. No? Just to see if you can identify him. Well, if you can go like this, I'll have to change the dress first. Well, I'm all right for walking around the neighborhood, but not for going downtown. Well, that's up to you, ma'am. I'll say it's done better while I think of it. Who came from Kansas? Oh, I'm afraid I don't understand. Well, the name of this apartment, you see, is the Topeka Arms. So I figured somebody connected with it must have come from Kansas. Oh. You don't know who it was, do you? Well, I didn't think. Oh, yes, yes, I remember. That was old Mr. Hendrickson's idea. Oh, wow, you don't say. Yes, yes, he was the man who built this building. Well, now that was, uh, oh, good and safe. That was almost 35 years ago. My hot-air implies. Yes, ma'am. How do you like that, Joe, that Mr. Hendrickson came from Kansas? No, no. Minnesota. Minneapolis, as I reflect. Oh? But it was his idea, just the same, calling it Topeka Arms. Kind of an article he read in the newspaper while the building was going up. Ma'am. Said there was more people in Southern California who came from Kansas than other states. Mm-hmm. So Mr. Hendrickson figured the name Topeka would attract a lot of tenants. It's ridiculous nonsense. Said so at the time. There hasn't been a single solitary one. Oh. 35 years. Not so many Kansas has ever lived here. 405 p.m. Frank and I put in a call to the crime lab. While Ms. Dunbetter changed her dress, we checked the other apartments to see if anybody else had seen the burger. Only one tenant was in. Mrs. J.T. Blade, apartment 6, informed us that she'd been out marketing at the time of the crime and had just returned home. 416 p.m. Lee Jones and a crew from the crime lab arrived. They began their investigation and we drove Ms. Dunbetter down to the city hall. We checked the oddity file and ran the suspect's description on M.O. through the staff's office, and they came up with 17 possible. We pulled mug shots and showed them to Ms. Dunbetter. She was unable to make an identification. 613 p.m. Lee Jones reported no useful fingerprints or other physical evidence in the apartment. 646 p.m. We drove Ms. Dunbetter home and we went off duty the next day, May 20th, 1117 a.m. I'll get it. Burgary Friday. Who's that? Oh, sure. Yeah. Wendy, come in. I see. Oh. Well, I wouldn't know what you look like. Mm-hmm. Yeah, we'd like to. Right. Thanks a lot. That was Chubb Stark. You know, Stark, the bartender over at the Yellow Camp. Oh, yeah. What's he want? Guy came into his place last night. He was carrying a pretty big roll. He threw it around, bought drinks for the house. Yeah. Got kind of loaded and did some talking about how easy he'd picked up the dough. Just walked in again this morning. Huh. Sound like anything to you? Chubb says he's about six foot black here. Yeah. Skarn is for it. The yellow cat bar on figure off. Chubb Stark, the bartender, pointed out a husky man sitting in a corner booth. We went over to talk to him. Keep your hands on the table and stand up. Huh? Police officers on your feet. Okay, okay. Something eating you guys? What's your name? Why? Come on, what is it? Fort Long, Ralph Fort Long. Where do you live? Hotel around the corner. How long have you been staying there? Since last night. How about before that? Back east. They just got telling yesterday. Where abouts back east? What kind of a rust is this? Where? Back east. All over Chicago, Cleveland, all over. What kind of business? Unemployed. You got any money? Some. How much? Look, I ain't no bag if that's what you're getting. How much money you got? 100 bucks, maybe 150. Where'd you get it? I borrowed it. Who from? Powell. In LA? Chicago. What's his name? Johnson. Cliff Johnson. You got his address? I don't know. He moves around, same as I do. How are you going to pay him back if you don't know where he lives? We'll bump into each other. I told you yesterday. What time? Six o'clock, somewhere in there. Yesterday morning? Last night. You sure of that? Yeah. How'd you come? Train? Car. You own the car? I hitched a ride. Just where were you yesterday afternoon? Riding into LA. All afternoon. Yep. What was the driver's name? Look, how should I know? I've been hitching for the last week. I must have rode with 20 different guys. You don't remember the one you were with yesterday? Nope. Ever been arrested, Portland? No, that's serious. Tell us about it. No, drunk, that's all. Where was that? Ohio, when I was a kid. Anything else? Yeah, I got some speeding tickets. You ever been arrested in California? Never been in California. First trip, huh? Yep. You ain't exactly making me feel at home, either. You know, in an apartment house, call it the peak of arms. Where about? Six in Olympic. What is that? In LA. Look, can't you get nothing straight? I've never been here before. How about giving me an answer? Why the roast? Come on, let's go. What for? We'll show you the sights. For instance? City Hall. The suspect into custody for further questioning. 12.16 p.m. We ran the name Ralph Portland through R&I. They had nothing on him. We put out an APB with his description stating that he was in our custody. The bulletin requested any information about the suspect and was marked attention to Chicago PD and Cleveland Police Department. 2.18 p.m. We again interviewed Portland. He insisted he had not arrived in Los Angeles until six o'clock the previous evening and refused to say anything more. 4.06 p.m. We received replies to our APB on Portland. Chicago reported two convictions for Grand Theft Auto, and Cleveland reported one conviction for burglary second degree. We telephoned Miss Dunn better and arranged for her to attend a special show-up at the main jail. 6.17 p.m. The show-up was completed and Frank and I took the victim back to our office. Ma'am, you're sure it isn't the same man. My goodness gracious, I ought to know. Yes. Let's see how you could have made such a mistake. Well, he fits your description even to the scar. But I told you it was Ziggity Zang. Yeah, you did. This man's scar is entirely different. Yes, ma'am. His hair is wrong, too. Is that right? The other man had some gray in it right across here. I thought you said he was fairly young. But he doesn't have to be old to get gray. I've been gray ever since I had my appendix out. I was only 34. All right. What have you taken home, ma'am? It's really a shame. Ma'am? You rested that poor fellow. He hasn't done anything. Burgary Friday. Yep. Yeah, that's right. When did you get it? No, not yet. Were you notified? Right. Well, I guess we don't need to feel too sorry for Port Long. Who do you mean? Another answer on our APB. Yeah. You were right, Miss Dunn. Better he couldn't have been your burglar. Well, I told you, didn't I? It was in Needles yesterday afternoon. He hitched a ride. Yeah. Slugged the driver. Ralph Port Long was held pending arrival of authorities from Needles. The investigation of the apartment house burglary continued. Two more suspects were brought in for questioning. Both men succeeded in establishing alibis for the time of the crime. Monday, May 23rd, 1.48 p.m. Frank and I were on our way back to the office from lunch. How was your pie? All right. Just okay, huh? I said it was all right. Lemon meringue, wouldn't it? Yeah. I don't know, Joey. You should have had apple. Mm-hmm. I told you, stick with apple. You can't go wrong. The lemon was good. He didn't finish it. That was full. Yeah. Well, someday you'll learn. Learn what? Apple pie is always safe. You can't loss it up even a bad cook can't. Well, I get a little tired of it once in a while. That's all. No reason you should. You can switch it around so many different ways. Yeah, I know. Cheese, olive oil, hot sauce. No reason to get tired of apple, Joe. Sure. Hey, Joe. Yeah? Call for you while you're out. Oh? She wants you to call back. Here's the number. Thank you. Sure. Missy Maxson. Who's that? I don't know. Mrs. Maxson? This is the police department, Sergeant Friday. Yes, that's right. We were the ones. I guess we can. Was something wrong? You sure that? All right. Right away. Thank you for calling. Goodbye. Miss Dunn better sister. She just got back from Oxnard. Yeah. She says it never happened. What do you mean? The burglary. She says her sister made it up. Frank and I drove out to the Tafika arms and we went up to apartment number 8. It was 2.17 when we got there. Somebody's coming again. Miss Maxson? That's right. That's right. Well, my name's Friday. I just spoke to you over the telephone. Oh, yes. Yes, of course. This is Frank Smith. Oh, how do you do? I do, ma'am. Come right along inside. Thank you. I just don't know what to say. I suppose it's all my fault for going out of town. She'd never left Martha alone. Might have known she'd be up to something. Are you positively sure about this, Miss Maxson? About what? About what? That there wasn't any burglary. Never in a million years. Well, your sister gave us all the details. Play act and that's all it was. Play act and she's done it all her life. Oh, I see. You mean Miss Dunn better isn't she? My sister is as sane as you are if that's what you're driving at. Well, why'd she tell us that story, you know? Haven't got the biggest notion. She simply won't give me any explanation. Oh, I see. The story was true. Why won't she face me? Why is she hiding? Hiding? A minute I told her. I was going to call you. She locked herself in the bathroom. Is that right? Been in there for two hours. Now, she simply refuses to come out. Well, we'd like to talk to her if we can. I'll try again. That security, I may have some influence. You think we're getting a run around, Joe? Sounds like we done it. Yeah. Martha, come out of there this instant. Martha Dunn better, do you hear me? The police don't want to talk to you. Take her here. I won't. I won't. You never come out. I never heard of such a, you see, I'm not able to do a thing with her. Yes, ma'am. Maybe if you speak to her, she'll come to her senses. All right. I don't know how I'll ever be able to hold my head up again. It's scandalous. Miss Dunn better, this is Sergeant Friday. Miss Dunn better, will you come out so we can talk to you? Miss Dunn better? Speaking of Martha, what got into you? No, speaking to you, Bessie. Let's go into the other room easier to talk there. Yes, ma'am. Not speaking to me, huh? Well, two can play at that game. When I assure you, I won't be the one who suffers. All right, ladies. Would you like to sit down? Now, Miss Dunn better, can we clear this thing up now? Your sister says there wasn't a new burglar. How would she know she wasn't here, was she? I know because I know you. And I know you never had $300 to your name. I did, too. Where'd you get it? Where'd you get it? None of your business. All right, now, how about it, Miss Dunn better. Did you have $300? Well... I never said it was exactly $300. Not to the penny. $3 would be more like it. There happens to be a few things you don't know about, including my savings. A likely story. You never saved a penny in your life. What about my diamond? I shook it the other day. I thank you to keep your hands off my property. Savings, indeed. If I didn't pay most of the expenses around here, you'd starve to death. I managed quite well before you moved in on me. Betsy and I was perfectly happy living alone. Matter of fact, I preferred that arrangement. Well, maybe you'd like to try it again. Maybe I would. I'm sure it'd be money ahead. Hock, don't you hock me, Betsy Maxim. You ought to see the way she eats. Gobble, gobble, gobble, she shovels it down. Stuffing nonsense. I don't have any more appetite than a bird. Birds don't nip the cooking, Sherry. A moth has done better. How can you say such a thing? Because I know it's true. I'm off the bottle. Well, whatever I do, I don't fend to the police like some people I could name. Well, Miss Dunn better. Is that Ray the suspect? Mm-hmm. You mean to do no harm? I wonder if you know it's against the law to file a false police report. Against the law? There. You see, you're going to jail. I knew it would happen. I knew that sooner or later you'd disgrace all of us. Why'd you do it? You must have had a reason, ma'am. I won't dare you. I'm not in front of her. I won't. Well, let's see. Would you mind waiting in the other room for a couple of minutes, Miss Maxim? I most certainly would. We'd appreciate it if you would. No, very well. You think I was the criminal around here? All right, Miss Dunn better. Tell us now, will you? It's very difficult to explain. I'll give it a try, will you? You see, it was all on account of her. Bessie. Go ahead. Started with those little girls. It's because she's older. She's always lording it over. Mom and Daddy always gave her everything first. Hand me down, that's all I got. Bessie, hand me down. I see. When I grew up, I couldn't push myself very much. She's just the opposite. The bear or the ball. She had to pick up all the young gentlemen in town. The only time they'd take me out was when Bessie was busy. I don't think she didn't let me know that I had second choice. The only reason she married a whore is because it took a fancy to me. Well, I had my pride, too. Wouldn't settle for her leftovers. That's why I stayed single, I see. Bessie could have done it. It was named one of her little girls after me. After all, I'm a home of her sister. The mess done better you still haven't told us while you reported the burglary. I'm telling you. That's right. You know, on account of her birthday. Well, that was the last straw. She hasn't talked about anything else for months and months. She's 80 years old. You'd think she's the queen of Romania. A picture and a paper of people making a fuss about her. Well, I made up my mind that for once in my life someone was going to make a fuss about me. I'll tell you the truth, I'm not a bit salty. I did it. I mean, yes, I should be sorry. But I'm not. I really enjoyed myself. All those questions you asked me, like I was somebody. My name was in the papers, too. First time it ever happened. It's strange when you come to think about it to live 79 years without ever seeing your name in print. But that wasn't the best part. Ma'am. The best part was Bessie not being able to horn in and take all the credit. Well, I didn't find me out sooner or later, but I didn't care. I sure had the laugh on her. The only time she's in Oxnard being potted I was just having a little party with my own. You know, you didn't need to put us through all this, Miss Dunn-Better. You're almost 80 yourself. It's over a year away. When you're my age, you can't be sure of anything. Yes, ma'am. Sides. Even when I'm 80, Bessie will still be ahead. Who is that? She'll be going on, aren't she? The story you've just heard is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Due to the advanced age of Miss Martha Dunn-Better and because of her assurances that she would never repeat her actions no charges were filed against her. Dragnet is a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.