 Ladies and gentlemen the story you're about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent Your detective sergeant here signed a robbery detail a gang is hijacked and robbed a bank truck They've stolen over a hundred thousand dollars. There's no lead to their identity your job. Get them Dragnet 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 Was Thursday June 5th was warm in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out a robbery detail my partner Frank Smith The boss is chief of detective staff Brown. My name is Friday. I was on my way back from the business office And it was 10 52 p.m. When I got to room 27 a robbery It's again. Yeah, there's a gun. You got the double-edged buck. Yeah, Jack There you go Any word yet? No, we ought to be hearing pretty quick nothing from Herman and Benson, huh? Last we got from they were over on Hobart. No action there nothing. I got it probably fighting Yes, ma'am That's right. Well, when was this? No No, that's a burglary. If you'll hold on just a minute. I'll have you switched them. Yes, ma'am. Hold on just one minute Would you give this call to 2524 please? That's right burglary. Thank you Woman wants somebody to come out and talk to her about her husband's work pants being taken from the clothes line You should have gone out. Yeah, you got a cigarette. I'm fresh out here. Yeah, ma'am. Yeah, thanks Well, you might as well sit down take it easy. You got no idea how long we're gonna be here. Guess so You know, I'm still not real sure about how this tip came in you want to fill me in Call came through this afternoon man. She used to give his name just said he had some information He thought we'd like to have no idea who it was. I know said it wasn't important Went on to say that he could tell us where to pick up the man who held up the bank truck Well, well, I figured it might be a crank So I asked him how we could be sure the story was true How'd he answer that said he could prove it said he had some of the serial numbers on the stolen bills But check out. Yeah, any of the numbers from 10 of the 20s. I checked the serial numbers. They're good And that's when he said he'd call back, huh? Yeah, said he'd call tonight around 10 and give us the address where we could pick up the man It's late now about an hour. Yeah, but he knows what he's talking about. We got to be here when the phone rings No way of getting an idea on them. Uh, none. What do you say about the men? They heavy and the way he tells it They're loaded get all the guns and ammunition they need to hold out for a week Knows that why couldn't you give us the address this afternoon? He said he wanted to put a lot of distance between him and the rest of them See how many there were not right out where he talked to we figure there's three any names No, I said he tell us where to pick him up said when we blew the whistle late tell us I'd be a little tight-ticking them then if the way they handle the guards on the truck is any indication It isn't gonna be a picnic. How many men we got permanent Benson We can call them in Murph and Rafferty Stewart and Creasy where they now Well, I saw Murph and Raft out the business office just a minute ago said they'd be right in I get it Probably Friday. Yes, it is Where yeah, I'll put them through Call from San Francisco operators at a station to station might be our boy You'd have to fly up north to get there this fast airlines don't ask for recommendations when they sell a ticket just a minute this Friday Who's this? Okay, that's the way you want it. Yeah, give me that address All right, let me read that back to you 1657 Garfield Place apartment 408. Is that right? Okay, why don't you tell us your name? I won't do any Hello Hello I'll have a business office get out and see if they can come up with a number got the address Yeah, I got that yeah the way he put it job might be tougher than we figured what do you mean? Well, I asked him his name I told him wouldn't make any difference if he told us yeah He said make a lot of difference so they'd kill him if they find out that he finked on them that figures Yeah said that when he reads in the papers that they're dead, then he'll come in when they're dead Yeah, he says we won't take him alive Ten days previously on Thursday May 26th three men had stopped an armored truck on its way to the Federal Reserve Bank The truck had stopped for collection on Wilshire Boulevard The three holdup men had approached the truck and produced sought-off 12-gauge shotguns at gunpoint Two of the men forced the driver to go out to the San Fernando Valley the third followed in another car on a side road south of Ventura Boulevard the suspects had tied and then beaten the driver and the guard The two men were placed in the back of the truck and after stealing all of the cash in the vehicle The thieves had driven off As soon as the theft was discovered men from the Federal Bureau of Investigation were notified together with them Frank and I followed down every lead The crime lab went over the truck but found nothing that would help us in getting to the thieves Lightened fingerprints were able to come up with nothing the driver of the truck and the guard had been shown the mug books But they were unable to make an identification The method of operation was checked through the stats office But when the leads that developed were checked out we were in the same position as when we first got the call We had no idea of who the thieves might be Descriptions obtained from the two victims were broadcast to the entire nation, but there were no kickbacks The FBI weighed and sifted all evidence in its Washington headquarters, but they came up with the same results We had nothing The phone call from the informant was the first concrete lead that we've gotten there were nine men from robbery division and three teams from the FBI in the operation from the information We had we knew the suspects were armed and they were dangerous the people in the building were gotten out of their apartments The building itself was completely surrounded 136 a.m. We moved in boys in the street or set. Let's go. All right. Did you check the manager? Yeah Descriptions that the men in the apartment match the one we got from the driver the truck checks out to be the same guys the manager Say how many there were three. She's not sure they're all in Sounds like somebody's moving around in there. Well, you're ready. Yeah, let's go Police officer stand still. What are you doing in here? You hear alone? Yeah alone. What are you looking for a convention? Where the other two what to nobody else Joe closet over there looks like an arsenal loaded with guns couple of sought-of shotguns The guys got the right to come in here like this. I know what you're looking for, but you're gonna find your name Hank Peterson you rent this apartment with two other guys manager tells us that the Harvey Fitzgerald and Lou Colton. Is that right? Yeah, they live here. Where they now? I don't know. Maybe don't move. I don't know when do you expect them back Look, they're big fellas now. They don't have to get me to sign a report card. They do what they want They went out. I don't know where they didn't tell me they also didn't tell me when they'd be back But what's this all about would you get those guns in the closet? I don't belong to me Who do they belong to one of the guys which one why are you coming in here and asking all these questions? I ain't done nothing. You've got no beef with me. I don't anything about the guns Maybe Lou likes to hunt. I don't know they belong to Colton. Yeah, he brought him You don't know where he is now. I told you if I knew where he was I'd tell you I don't want any trouble. I don't like to have people pointing guns at me Would you put that one away turn around why I said turn around get over the wall Put your hands up on it Big deal what happens now you kick my feet out. I fall down and still They've got to find nothing on me. I tell you I'm clean Nice try Peterson. There's a 38 cold Joe had in his belt You're going pretty heavy for a fella doesn't want trouble. Don't you I carry a lot of money Sometimes I think some guys are trying to take it away from me. I got to protect myself Anybody's got the right to protect themselves. Yeah, you got a permit for this gun. No, I didn't get around to it yet I'm going to the right away. I'll get one. You know how it is you mean to do something But you forget it can I stand up straight now. Yeah, come on Peterson get your hands behind you Maybe you guys will tell me what this is for. What are you looking for? We'll tell you downtown. You know, you're making a big mistake You're right. I sure you really call this one wrong. You're dragging innocent man I'm clean. I made a mistake when I didn't register the gun or cop to that, but that's the edge I don't go past there. You got it wrong Peterson read me how we got you going in for the bank truck robbery You and your two friends you're gonna stand for it keep talking about my two friends. I got no friends I move in with a couple of fellas all of a sudden I got a piece of some action there And you got it wrong cop you aren't gonna tell us you happen to be here at the wrong time are you look I'm from Chicago I got a lead on a job out here. It gets cold in Chicago in the wintertime I don't like the cold get a lead on a job out here in California So I put an ad in the paper telling how I'd like to drive out with a guy share expenses Tell of the answers the ad wants to leave when I got to go as Luke Colton I took a third of the tab driving out we got into town. He's got this apartment line up This one right here. I got no place to stay so he says for me to pad down with him That's it the beginning the middle the end Anything outside of that I don't know if you got trouble with Lou then take it up with him But don't make me fit in I got no part of the action. I don't want any what about the gun the gun you had on you I tried to explain that I meant to get a permit for it. I didn't get around to it yet What about the ones in the class? I'll talk to Lou they belong to him. Maybe he's gonna open a museum. All right Let's get out of here. Come on. Let's go But you did to the door breaking it up like that. No reason all you had to do was knock Landly is gonna be pretty sore about it. I'd let you know if you're to knock breaking up a door like that She's gonna be a real sore probably won't talk to me Well, it's gonna be a while before she's got the chance While Frank and I took Henry Peterson downtown the other officers from robbery maintained the surveillance on the apartment Because of the construction of the building it was impossible to wait inside of the room. However, all of the entrances were covered 240 a.m. We checked the suspect through our and I but we found that he had no record in Los Angeles His fingerprints were taken and forwarded to Washington for checking It was printed and mugged and then placed in a cell in the felony section at the main jail The rest of that night the watch in the apartment continued without results The following morning Frank and I met with Lieutenant Smires at a special show off of the suspect for the driver in the guard of the armored car Without hesitation they both stated positively that Peterson was one of the men who'd held them up The kickback arrived from Washington with the information that Peterson was wanted for escape from the state penitentiary in New Jersey He'd been convicted on a charge of murder and robbery and given a life sentence The record showed that he'd escaped from the prison on Friday May 9th two weeks before the truck had been robbed 415 p.m. We had him brought from a cell and Frank and I talked to him in the interrogation room with the main jail You guys cigarette. Yeah Here's a match What do we got going now same thing? We want to know about the robbery of that armored car You figured there's something I could tell you on it, huh? We wouldn't be here otherwise I'll make you do we don't make them now. I'll hear me out. You might go for this We can't promise you anything you're asking me to come over to your side Seems like you'd be willing to come a little closer to the line. What do you get to say? How bad you got me nailed steep as it can go for real. That's right lay it out all of it. Yeah We got the kickback from Washington. We know you're wanted for escape We checked the guns from the apartment find out they were taken in the burger in Chicago Tuesday May 13 Go ahead. We checked with the Chicago papers the ad you told us about asking for a ride out here It was never run guys are sure through the victims of the robbery identified your picture. They sure they're sure no chance for a mistake No chance if I cop out. Where am I gonna do the time? We don't decide then you think they'll send me back to Jersey I told you we got no saying that it's so cold back there. It's nice here in California I like to stay here nothing you guys can do so I can take the fall and Quentin up nothing Anyway, you hear it. I'm nailed up. That's right Okay, maybe it's marked down that I copped out. They'll let me stay in California. It'll be put down that way Okay, what do you want me to start try the beginning good of places any you're worth a hold up, huh? Yeah, how about the other two you picked them up yet? No them come back to your apartment Might be good if they didn't when you come up with that heavy real heavy one of the names Luke Colton Harvey Fitzgerald knows the names in the mailbox. Are they real far as I know you're not sure I know Part of what I told you is true I broke out of a jail in Jersey then beat it to Chicago Later on for a couple of days and started look for some action. I was broke. I needed a score to set me up Sitting in a bar down a state street one night and I met low and Harvey They took me to the job out here. You mean they came all the way out here to pull the one job Yeah, they got a rumble about how it'd be a cinch came out to run it off And they figured I'm going back leaving you cops with nothing when they figured on leaving I don't know. This was their part of the deal. I told him going in. I wanted to stay out here Didn't make any difference to them We all figured that if we cut up a hundred thousand dollars score, none of us was gonna look bad for all I know they might be on the way back now their clothes were still in the apartment You know how many suits you can buy with a third of a hundred thousand dollars. Let's go ahead Yeah, well after the job we made to split Talked it over and decided to dig in for a few days and then take off at least they decided to leave didn't say when I told you Now they might be on the way back now. Who else knows you're in on the job? Huh outside of you three Colton Fitzgerald Who else knows about it? Isn't anybody but where's your part of the money? Got it down the bus people got it in the locker down there. How long's it been there? Since day before yesterday often do they clean out them lockers every 24 hours There's 33,000 dollars floating around in the check room. You got the key to lock him. Yeah, where is it? In my shoe, I got a tape of the soul inside. You want to give it to us? No, but I don't guess there's any other way. No Okay You spend any of the money you mean the stuff we stole that's right. No, not a dime Why do you ask that who else might know the serial numbers on the bills? Well, nobody nobody but us and I guess the guys at the bank they got a record of my guess How about Colton Fitzgerald? They spent any of their part I don't know you got to ask them that the car you drove out after the armored truck Who'd that belong to? Colton. It's the one we drove out here and what kind of car is it? Plymouth 1952 what model sedan color light blue. You know the license number. No, I never paid any attention to it What state's it out of Illinois who drove the car when you went on the hold up Harvey Fitzgerald, huh? Yeah, he drove the car and Lou and I went in the truck either them been arrested before I'm not sure but I think Lou fell in New York. I'm not sure though. How about Fitzgerald? No, at least he never said anything about it Only way I knew about Lou is that he talked about the food in Singsing That's the way I knew about him. You know what he fell for armed robbery I think and there was a kidnap rap too, but he beat it. He out clean I don't know seems like you played a job with two guys that you didn't know very well, doesn't it? I was hungry and I was cold I wasn't about to ask for a life story when they offered me a part of the action how'd they pick you I Told you I was in a bar in state Lou and Harvey came in both of them were carrying a load I was sitting there drinking beer just to three of us in the place and Lou was drinking pretty heavy He gets in a beef with the barkeep and I saw the role he was carrying so I figured that if I could take his side in the brawl Maybe I can make a touch They walked out of the bar and he offered to buy me a meal next thing. I know I'm on the way to California I'm a partner in a piece of goods that looks safe all that time in the car And you didn't find out anything about your two partners We drove straight through and we weren't driving we were sleeping anyway. I wasn't a solid member of the club I wasn't about to get my nose mashed in for having it someplace where it didn't belong I figured if they wanted me to know something they tell me you go with them for the guns No, they already got nose when I fell in you knew they were stolen guys turn up with that kind of muscle and can't come from anywhere else Sure, I knew it was stolen Coltman Fitzgerald have any friends out here. No, not in LA anywhere on the coast Well, I hear Lou's got some people up north where maybe San Francisco and Marin County I don't know might even be Oakland somewhere around the Bay area. They say anything about going up there. No First they might have way Lou likes to eat coming out here He'd go 10 miles out of the way because he knew a place that had a good chili size make nothing of it Ever saw anybody who liked to eat so much real gourmet only with him It was glutton. He mentioned any names of people he knew up north. No, just said he had people anything about the car They're driving it would make it easy to spot. What do you mean? Well, like a dented fender a scratch anything to identify it Yeah, yeah, I might be something there's a kind of scratch in a back left fender I think woman backed into us in the way out here cut right through the metal You think of any reason why they might ditch the car? No, we kept a close tab on the papers right after the job And look to see how much you had on it when we didn't see anything we figured the car was all right I don't think they ditch it be pretty easy to trace Lou owns it outright I see want to try to grab cold plates. He'd drive it like it was okay We'll get your things and you come over the city hall make a statement about the key to locker. Oh, yeah There it is Probably some money do on the package. I'll have to owe you What's that 33,000? I haven't got the door to bail out the package and it works out even flat You'd have no place to spend it An immediate APB was gotten off carrying the names and descriptions of the two suspects also a description of the car A radiogram was sent to DMV at Illinois requesting the license and description of any car registered to a Lewis Colton While Eleanor Eastlack took Peterson Statement Frank got in touch with the telephone company They'd finished checking the phone call we've gotten from San Francisco But the information they gave led us no farther toward apprehending the suspects the call had been made from a pay booth in the Ferry terminal building We got in touch with the FBI and fill them in on the developments as a result of Peterson Statement the number of men Maintaining the surveillance at the apartment on Garfield Place was cut to one team working days and one team working the night watch We put a call into San Francisco and talk to chief of inspectors James English We filled him in on what had happened. He assigned inspectors Sutton and Zimmerland to work with us on the case 546 p.m. We checked out a trip car. We left for San Francisco Took us a little under 10 hours to drive the 405 miles between the two cities at 403 a.m We stopped in Oakland and put in a call to the San Francisco police department how much? Yeah, just a minute Frank you got a quarter. Yeah. Thanks. They are 264 please. Oh, it's Joe Friday. Yeah, you got a message there for me from Charlie Sutton or Jules Zimmerman. Yeah. No, no, we just got in. Yeah. Oakland. But just a minute. You see that street sign up there. Yeah. Fifth and poplar. Fifth and poplar. Yeah. No, we're coming right over. When was this? I see. Well, if Charlie calls in and tell him that we're on the way, will you? Right. Thank you. Well, they're almost too late. What do you mean they got a lead? Sutton and Zimmerland called in 30 minutes ago. Yeah. They got the car waiting for the suspects now. You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action. The address the business officer had given me on the phone was a large garage located at the corner of Union Avenue and Lynch Streets. When Frank and I got there, we met with inspectors Sutton and Zimmerland. They told us that when they'd gotten the APB, a call had gone out immediately to the officers in the city to be on the lookout for a 1952 blue Plymouth with a dent in the left rear fender and carrying Illinois license plates. The suspects had parked the car in a no parking zone on O'Farrell Street between Taylor and Mason Streets. At the peak hour of traffic, the car had been towed away from the parking place and left in the garage. While it was in the garage, the information on it had been received from our department and an immediate stakeout was placed on it. They felt reasonably sure that the suspects would return for the automobile. They had no reason to think that there might be anything wrong. The address of the garage had been left so that they might find the car. All it would be necessary to release it would be the payment of the fine for overtime parking along with the towing and garage fee. The garage itself was a large building. It provided four stories for parking. The suspect's car was on the basement level. We were able to keep watch on it from a small office near the exit ramp. The attendants were instructed to act as if nothing was wrong when the suspects came in. Once we knew that they were in the building, the entrances and exits would be blocked and they would be taken into custody. There was nothing to do but wait. 5.30 a.m. No sign of Colton and Fitzgerald. 6.15 a.m. Frank went out and brought back some hot coffee. 6.45, 7 a.m. People began to come into the garage to get their cars but not the two suspects. The later it became, the more difficult it would be for us to take the two men into custody. If there was going to be any shooting, we'd be in a bad position with civilians in the range of fire. 7.30, 8, 8.04 a.m. Somebody coming down here. Yeah. You see who it is? No. Jules. You and Charlie want to cover the other side? Right. And watch it. We should be able to get a pretty good look at them. Yeah. What kind of town is this? They got a sign. You should have put it in the garage. You and your smart idea. You read what you see the sign. It's Colton and Fitzgerald. Yeah. You see Jules and Charlie? Wait a minute. Yeah. Over by the Gray Merck. Looks like they're all set. Let's go. Now, let's get this crate out of here. Can I have some breakfast with the rope if you can? You know the cost of it. I'm sure it would be annoying me. I'm sure there's a bright thing to do. Look, you don't have to think. If I wanted somebody for that, you'd still be back east. You know one of these days you're going to open that mountain for a little too wide. You know what you guys want? Police officers. Get them off Jules! I'll get them. This isn't the way out. The doors are blocked. Colton, you're in here for good. We got you for robbery. Don't make it any more. Joe? Yeah. He's over in the corner. How about Fitzgerald? He's got an unzimmer on the gun. Two of their guns in their lap. One no part of trouble. Colton doesn't figure it that way. I'll try to get around him. I'll watch yourself. Keep those people back out of the doorway. Go on, Frank. I'll cover you. Three more, Colton. You're going to get by all of us. Your partner, Quit, might not be smart like him. All right, Colton. I'm coming to you. You do it. You'll be dead if you get here. Go down there. Never should have taken us. Better take it easy, Colton. Your hit work shows. Never should have taken us. Two of you, two of us. You got it wrong, mister. Huh? You were outnumbered going in. The story you just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. Harvey, Ned Fitzgerald and Louis Jeffrey Colton were tried and convicted of kidnapping, robbery in the first degree, and violation of the Dangerous Weapons Control Act. They were found guilty and sentenced as prescribed by law. Kidnapping is punishable by imprisonment for a period of from one to 25 years in the state penitentiary. Robbery in the first degree by imprisonment for a term of not less than five years. Violation of the Dangerous Weapons Control Act by imprisonment in the state prison for a period of not less than five years. Henry Vincent Peterson was remanded to the authorities of New Jersey for completion of his sentence. A hold was placed on him by the state of California in the event he is paroled. You have just heard Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action, and starring Jack Webb, a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.