Dragnet - "The Big Thanksgiving" (1955)

ladies and gentlemen the story you're about to see is true the names have been changed to protect the innocent this is the city Los Angeles California I work here it was Wednesday November 21st it was cold in Los Angeles we were working the day watch out a robbery division my partner's Frank Smith the bosses Chief of Detectives stat Brown my name's Friday during the past two months a series of robberies and beatings had occurred in the South Los Angeles area all of the victims were women we had an mo and a vague description now all we needed was the suspect all right let's get this show on the road you probably know why you're here it's on those purse snatchings that Friday and Smith been working on now this thing is getting way out of hand he struck again night before last his victims in County Hospital in the critical condition she's been pistol-whipped and the doctor says she's got a skull fracture hmm if this keeps up it's only a matter of time when somebody gets killed that's why I've asked you to come in it's up to you to see if that doesn't happen you've all got the mo sheets well that's all the information we have I know some of us pretty broad but the best we've been able to come up with Friday and Smith handled the investigation until now so I'll let them give you the details all right Joe you'll notice on your mo sheets that all of the crimes have been listed in the order that they occurred there's a description of the clothing of the suspect wore and a description of the suspect whenever we could get it you'll also notice that in a lot of cases there is quite a difference in the physical description of the suspect however we've been able to put them all together and we've come up with a composite drawing that should look something like him the one thing that's fairly consistent is the description of the clothing the suspect wears it's almost always dark it usually has on a hat he's been known to wear a top coat the Hat and the coat are also of dark material now if you'll take a look at the map here you'll notice that we've pinpointed all the jobs that we know about to give you a little clearer picture of his operation can you all see this here the first one took place on 73rd Street the rest of the pin show the jobs from then on they move all the way up to Vernon now he's also worked Western Avenue in Manchester Boulevard he'll hit any Street where there's a streetcar or a bus line he works between the hours of 5:30 and 11:00 p.m. and the approach is almost always the same Frank Smith will tell you about that all right Frank the victim gets off the streetcar a bus starts to walk home and as soon as the woman reaches an area that's not well lighted or that hasn't got much traffic the suspect walks up behind and grabs her after that he tried to take her purse if she offers any resistance he slugs her because the fact that two of the victims have seen a gun in his hand we know he's armed the guns been described as a revolver does the suspect have a car Joe well we assume that he has a couple of times people have seen him running through their yards it's a pretty safe bet that he's got a getaway car parked on a side street at least we know he leaves the area immediately then nobody's actually seen the vehicle that's right we've had a couple of calls but they didn't check out now the plan here is to use police women as decoys and try to bait him into the open that's the reason the women officers were called to this meeting you figured to work the main arterials yeah there'll be two officers assigned to each policewoman we've been able to obtain five and all that means that ten officers will be assigned to them other officers will be in the area somewhere one of the things to look for is a vehicle the trails a streetcar or a bus now there any other questions how do we get our assignments the skipper has a list lomi all of the officers who are to work with a policewoman are noted the others are given the areas that they're supposed to patrol what about the other calls coming in who's gonna handle them those officers not assigned to a policewoman there'll be units from the division on the operation to they'll lend us a hand but remember this if you're assigned to a police woman decoy don't leave her under any circumstances now is that clear don't leave the police woman if we run into any problems who do we call well Smith and I'll be in the area you can get in touch with us what happens if we pick up a suspect well use your own judgment if you think it's a routine pick up take him to robbery and they'll be processed here any other question well I guess that covered it you all know about the cancellation of days off sorry it has to hit just before Thanksgiving but that's the way it's gotta be nobody draws anytime list things cleared up yeah and Murphy it won't do any good to have your wife call me you're still gonna have to work I learnt about it operation starts tonight and goes to the suspects in custody have a happy Thanksgiving you all just second one more thing the worksheets posted on the board in the front office you can all check it on your way out thank you well you need anything else carry this off yeah we could use a little luck no reason for you to be different huh suspects had his share Frank and I left the office and drove out to the stakeout area because the suspect had never hit the same street more than once it was decided that police women would board street cars and buses and get off at points where previous robberies had not taken place during the night several possible suspects were picked up for questioning we checked them out our man wasn't among them the next day Thursday November 22nd 3 p.m. Frank and I stopped off in a diner to get some lunch how's yours it's all right I guess I'm sure a new one on me huh sliced rabbit for Thanksgiving dinner yeah well I've had a job great so everything all right yes just fine we're not very hungry how about dessert just the check please you got a coming mince pie that's all right we oughta check suit yourself you can keep it thanks and Happy Thanksgiving yeah Happy Thanksgiving two nights went by Saturday November 24th 11:30 p.m. well it's beginning to look like this wasn't such a hot idea yeah I'm afraid you're right I think you got why is the operation could be I don't see how though I got some thanks Joe I got a light though what a bet I did I got mine thanks well I know about you but how about the family they have a nice Thanksgiving they didn't oh no she had the in-laws down boy that guy can eat Armond huh yeah according to Faye finished off a 22 pound turkey well he must had some help and he did her Kate as much as either her my nephew oh yeah you've heard me talk about him Joe little Kirk that's Armand's kid in more ways than one sure got his old man's appetite 1 K 81 k8o lead unit 1 k 87 at the 300 block East 51st Street 300 block East 5-1 Street go to 1 KD Roger Cammy 3 6 7 one of the police women decoys had gotten off the streetcar at Main and 51st she'd walked east and a man had approached her he demanded money when the officers following the police woman arrived at the scene he was taken into custody and we were contacted apparently the suspect had been drinking we took him down to the police building for interrogation all right what's your name I don't like your attitude young man well we don't care about that you just give us your name I don't believe I feel like telling you got a wallet there's nothing in it at the moment I happen to be in a state of financial imbalance all right come on fella empty your pockets on the table all right but understand after this I plan to register an official protest concerning these methods of yours yeah sure we know all that just get your wallet up with it all right young man take out the money I told you before there's nothing in it I'm not at the moment in a solvent state other words no juice well suppose you empty it anyway this your true name Victor Nathanael Templar are you suggesting that I use an alias now look cut out the smart cracks Templar where do you live at the moment I am without lodging other words no pad you got a job as a matter of fact I haven't have you ever had a job from time to time doing what I have worked in the Vindhyas of California grape picker huh quite the contrary I am a professional wine taster you've been tasting a little bit too much of it tonight though haven't you I am in complete control of my faculties well and suppose you tell us what you were doing out on 51st Street just looking around for a vineyard I was strolling down the straight lost in my own thoughts when this young woman approached me in other words she tried to pick me up oh sure the girl was a policewoman that didn't come out until later you ever been arrested before Templar apparently I am under arrest now before this they have been occasional previous contacts but other members of your profession in other words I've fallen what charges I believe you call it vagrancy ever done time in California I really don't know now come on come on Templar have you ever done time in this state I am trying to be completely honest sergeant there have been a number of these unfortunate encounters with the law and not just certain in which state they all occurred I'll check him out I'm surprised you don't feel ashamed yourself how's that I mean your procedure here tonight using a police woman to lure a poor innocent man into all this embarrassment how long you been in Los Angeles helper well I really don't know I'm not very good at dates oh um right certain that I came here sometime this year is that as close as you can come afraid so time is relative you know sergeant yeah sure is if you haven't got a job how do you live it's a hand-to-mouth existence at best I'll bet and by the way when this matter is all cleared up and you and your cohorts hasn't given me the apology I deserve yes may I ask that you put a little something in that wallet of mine it's something that wasn't there before well now you just got a real big picture of that haven't you Templar oh yeah see minute you stay put you will find me here when you return I checked our friends through R&I he's been tagged 92 times for drunk in LA ready two times yeah doesn't sound like our man no we're the last three months he's been in Camarillo Monday November 26th 10:31 a.m. we talked to the superintendent of the State Hospital at Camarillo he told us that Victor Templar had been released only 10 days earlier he had spent three months undergoing treatment for alcoholism the operation continued each night five police women boarded streetcars and buses in the area the suspect was known to work five police cars carrying ten officers followed them another twenty patrol the immediate area looking for the thief as a result of the publicity the crimes had received calls flooded the complaint board and women refused to walk the streets alone after dark but the robberies and slugging is continued Tuesday December 4th the manager of a cheap hotel in the Skid Row area called and said she had something for us right down this way it's the last room just what is it you want us to see that's where we get there and I'll show you here we are 24 heads you better knock first well he ain't in can't you see yes ma'am what kind of a head do you think I have I read all your magazines besides I saw that he wasn't in before I ever called you guys but your muscles behind this will yeah good boy well come on in now was when I was cleaning up this morning my regular girl took sick so I had to do with myself that's when I found him in the closet yes me yes up on the back shelf there you better take that chair over man I spotted them I felt I should call the police they're way in the back way in the back yeah you see them yes ma'am what do you got a couple of women's purses I'll be careful to think of prints yes ma'am um not as well tell you I kind of touched him this morning I know I hadn't daughter but I just didn't stop to think there's an awful lot of junk in them or you open these purses did you well I just kind of peek struck me so Don peculiar than being there uh there ain't no money in them just cards and papers and stuff like that whose room is this well he gave his name is Jerry Kilgallon when he registered might not be a real one though yes ma'am you take the room alone absolutely this is a hotel for men we don't now no women in here you find some identification Joe no these aren't any Oh our victims will have to check them out though sure we better get this one of the crime lab huh here on the lining yeah what did you find something well we're not sure yet well what is it I called you I got a right to know a tie looks like bloodstains the hotel manager gave us Jerry kill gallons description and the registration card he'd sign Frank called it into our and I they had no record on him the crime lab checked the purses and ran a precipitate test on the one with the stains they reported that the stains had been caused by human blood kill gallons hotel was staked out and he was taken into custody under interrogation he admitted that he'd stolen the purses from women in a downtown department store he gave us the date and the time of the thefts and they checked out with previous crime reports he also told us that when he had snatched the second purse he'd cut his hand on the clasp and that the bloodstains were his own a blood type test tended to verify his story we were satisfied that Kilgallen was not responsible for the other robberies and beatings and he was booked on a charge of suspicion of grand theft person that night Frank and I took up our place in the operation cruising a part of the stakeout area at approximately 8:45 p.m. we got a call 211 and slugging all units converge Don the area a block by block search was made all suspicious individuals were stopped checked and questioned additional officers were called in to aid in the hunt every alley every street was gone over her name was Joan Gorham have you caught him yet no ma'am not yet you feeling all right I could sure use a cigarette when he got my purse he took everything except my sunglasses they were in my pocket guess they got broken put him on cuz my eyes such a mess thank you pretty bad isn't it did you get a good look at the man yes but it was dark I couldn't see him very well came is such a surprise I've never had anything like this happened to me before yes we can understand that can he tell us anything at all about him his face I can remember that much ruddy he had a ruddy complexion and I think he had a mustache no what about his eyes could you tell us what color they were I don't know I couldn't say how about his hair I don't know I really don't all I can remember was his face according to the other officers report he had just gotten off the bus at 71st and Vermont when this took place is that right that's right I was on my way home I'm a cashier at the oaktree cafeteria uh-huh did the man say anything to you well not at first he just grabbed my purse and when I would give it to him he started hitting me with his fist did he have a gun you know that's what made me think he was going to kill me after he hit me I fell down and he pulled the gun said he'd shoot if I made a thump then he ran off that's all I know I can't tell you anything more all right thank you very much miss Gorham we won't take up any more of your time I sure hope you catch him I've been reading about it in the papers all those other women never thought it would happen to me we've got a lot of men assigned to this case and it shouldn't be too long now well say here's one other thing almost slipped my mind yes ma'am what's that well maybe I couldn't tell you too much about what he looked like but you'll know him when you see him Oh while we were fighting I scratched the left side of his face right II yeah it just got a call from your office yeah I got your suspect pinned down in the warehouse district code three whereabouts Slauson in Dover he's trying to shoot his way out attention all units attention all units all units on frequency seven please stand by hey we got a live one this time sounds like a deadly units in the vicinity of juhabach on Slauson 211 suspect in area last seen entering warehouse 261 sounds awesome suspect is armed code three frequency seven clear Lima that's our guy all right finally made his mistake Joe tried to slug a policewoman rapidly and I were following him he spotted this made a break she okay yeah fine she had a hold on him but he broke away ducked into an apartment house by the time we got the blockades up in the area covered he'd worked his way down here a new warehouse district uh-huh started firing at a black-and-white unit out on Slauson and he broke in here we gave him a chance to walk out he picked this instead tried to take that uniform man with him who is he name's Bonnie Swanson suspect emptied his gun into us how's he doing seems to be holding his own families is on the way right Thanks how's it going Swanson I'm gonna be alright sure you are you from downtown that's right Friday central Robert hope to be down there with you Sunday how many years you go for studying for the exam now did you have much trouble making it no not too much Barney just hit those books as hard as you can you'll make it alright and any we can get you know I'm doing fine if I can just keep enough of this stuff in me till they plug up the holes here comes your chauffeur never been in the P&F word before it tell me it's pretty good all you got to do is eat and go brick the same could you do me a favor sure call my wife don't give her the whole picture though just tell her I cut my finger all right what's the number it's funny I can't think of it just moved into a new housing unit out in the vet out in the valley great guy I am to be wearing a badge can't even remember my own phone number you got it written down in my wine back pocket don't worry about the money Friday I trust you it's on the back of a white card in there someplace tell me about the PMF ward this ever happened to you yeah once but I didn't have it as good as you will the partner and I were trying to take a couple of guys out of a hotel room and they were heavy I thought I caught one in my left shoulder turned out the slug only broke the skin they okayed me for duty in 48 hours you'll draw at least six weeks easy living out of this just a card part used to be he just moved it's a rotten shame huh one of them spent his life trying to keep the law and the other one used to is trying to break it both men dead it's a big difference hmm only one man died tonight on Monday December 3rd an inquest was held in the coroner's office in and for the County of Los Angeles state of California in a moment the results of that inquest after an examination of the evidence and hearing the testimony the coroner's jury ruled that the suspects death was justifiable homicide

Channel: Shokus Video

Views: 317,827

Rating: 4.7842503 out of 5

Keywords: Dragnet (TV Program), Jack Webb, Ben Alexander

Id: -4UM6BycJ9g

Length: 26min 19sec (1579 seconds)

Published: Thu Aug 06 2015