Dragnet - Myra the Redhead

0:00Here is another NBC's great parade of new shows. Ladies and gentlemen, the story you're about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. NBC brings you... ...Gragnet. You are a detective sergeant. You're assigned to auto theft detail. In three months, more than 250 cars have been broken into. Property mounting well into thousands of dollars has been stolen. Two youthful members of the gang have been apprehended. They all important brains of the criminal ring. The leaders are still at large. Your job... ...get them.

1:01Dragnet. The documented drama of an actual crime. Investigated and solved by the men who unrelentingly stand watch on the security of your home, your family and your life. 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 from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Monday, March 2nd. It was cold in Los Angeles. We were working the night shift out of auto theft. My partner's been Romero. The boss is Ed Baxter and Chief of Detective. My name's Friday. I was on the way back from the interrogation room and it was 10.58 pm when I got to room 26. Chief of Detective's office. Real tough kids, aren't they? Yeah, they wanted me to think. I sit down. Thanks. When did you begin? About 8.30 tonight in the parking lot behind the Star Theater out on sunset.

2:03It was lifting the radio out of a 48 convertible. He's had lots of experience. The board said you picked up a 19-year-old girl with him. She was waiting for the guy on a park car across the street from the theater. The car was full of loop. At first, a real break with that in those auto burglaries in three months and it's no good to us. Neither one of them will talk and won't even admit they know each other. You run makes on them? Just did. We've been questioning her boy for an hour getting nowhere. What's his name again? Freeman, Stanley Freeman. Oh, yeah. Age 20. Address. Duke Montana, down here for a vacation. He doesn't lie very well, Ed. He's never been to Duke Montana in his life. And it was less about the time than I do. Well, get to him. Write it. Where'd you put the girl? We had a policewoman take her to our office. We can talk to her when we finish her the boy. What's her story? Hasn't Annie. She won't even open her mouth. 19 years old, probably needs a good spanking. Now get him to talk. Write.

3:08Did you run a make, Joe? Yeah. He's clean. Yep, why? It's her flat foot. Look, you're in a bad spot, son. That kind of talk isn't going to help. Says you. We caught you red handed trying to steal a radio that didn't belong to you from a cart didn't belong to you. Is that right? That's enough to send you to San Quentin Boy. You better give us the story. Shut up. We've got all evidence we need for him. Maybe you don't realize how serious this is. We've had more than 250 car break a reason this city in the past three months. Over $200,000 of the property's been stolen. That's a lot of money. So what? So you're the number one suspect, young fellow. Your method of operation in breaking into that car tonight is the same use and most of the other burglaries. That means you're not going to be tried just for this job tonight. What are you getting at, flat foot? Listen, son. In the state of California, breaking into a lot car is a felony. You can go to state Ben and danger for that. And we're going to file a complaint of burglar with a district attorney in the morning. You say you're from Buteman, Tanna.

4:09All right, I don't believe you. But we'll make sure. Ben, good on our office and call the news photographers. Stanley here is going to have his picture on the front page of every newspaper in Los Angeles tomorrow. Right, Jim? No. You can't, I won't let you. I got my rights. Let's marry, youngster. Everybody wants his picture in the paper. Yeah, I will, I don't. I won't let him. We've got your picture already for him in a member. I bet that you're going to finger print at you. You can't use it. You can't. I'll get a lawyer. My reporters will be over in a couple of minutes. We have to give him a story. And you bet your two. This one. You won't, you won't. Get him to the right. All right, all right. Give him a toy. I'll get your hands off him. Now sit down. All right. Now let's have a spray. I don't let him use the picture. Don't let him. You can't, you can't. We've got to have the truth, sir. Now look, you're 20 years old. You know right from wrong. You'll have to take your medicine.

5:09If you cooperate, we'll do all we can to help. I... I live out no wheelchair district. All I wanted was a little extra money. We didn't take much. We didn't think it was so wrong. It was dealing for him. You know I'm wrong. Where do you live, doctor? Piper Avenue. 821 Piper. You won't give him my picture. You live there with your family? Yeah, my mother. Father's dead. A promise me you won't give him the picture. My mother, she'd see it. A promise me. You're working with a gang in those auto-buggers. We know that now. Who are they? Where are they? And what's the setup? I can't. They get me for it. Who'd get you? I can't tell you. I can't. Who's your girlfriend, Stanley? The one you're with tonight. Joanne. Joanne Miller. Where does she live? Piper Avenue. Same as me. I'm not going to be here. Where does she live? Piper Avenue. Same as me. Lives on the same block.

6:10866. That at home? You're never there with a folk? Yeah. Mother and father. They work. And you got her into this. Isn't that the story she gave us, Ben? I did not. I didn't it was her. She set up on your kids. We're doing it. It was quick money. Something to do with night. She started it. All right, Ramal. I'll go see the girl you stay here with Freeman. Right, you. You stay puttin' that chair for him. Thank you. Hi, Marge. Oh, Jo. You and your Marl Handling is here. Yeah. I like to talk to the girl a few minutes later. You stand by. Right, I'll sit over here. Thanks. All right, Miss. What's your name, Agent Address? I told this lady count 15 minutes ago. I'm not sayin' anything. All right, then we'll tell you. Your name's Joanne Miller. You live at 866 Piper Avenue. You live with your father and mother. Both of them work. You're a liar. That's not me. You're 19 years old. You live in the same block as your boyfriend Stanley Freeman.

7:10And you're the one who got to mix up on this gang. All right? No, it's not white. It's not. I didn't do anything. That's only half the story. Freeman told us everything. You want to hear the rest? No. Stan wouldn't tell you. He wouldn't. He told us how you got to mix up on it. Quick money. That's what you told him, didn't he? No, it was him. I can prove it. The rest of the kids will tell you. He got me in this. Ask him. They'll tell you. It was Stanley and Fred Milford and George Jansson. They started it all three of them. All right. Will you tell a story to a police denographer? I'll tell him everything. He's not blaming us on me. Marge, you go get this denographer. Right. Now, how many persons in this gang are yours? How about Canada 12? And it's not my gang either. He got me into this and now he's trying to lie his way out blaming me. How long you've been doing this, burglarizing cars? Me? I only bought two weeks. We're supposed to be fun, something to do at night. The rest haven't been out of the couple of months. Who's the head of the gang? I told you it's him, Stanley, and Fred Milford and Jansson all three.

8:12I only started going out with him two weeks ago, maybe less. All right, you all right? Tell them to listen to this denographer the same way. The denographer will be in a minute, Joe. Okay, Marge, thanks. Stay with it. Right, Joe. Just about a close case, Ben. Girl gave us a full confession. She didn't. Oh, you're not tricking me again. She didn't. She told us you're one of the leaders of the gang, Stanley. Said you got her into all this. The other two are George Jansson and Fred Milford. But it doesn't kid in the gang. All of them but your age, is that right? She's lion, can't you tell? She's lion. She got me into the gang. Well, she did. She's Milford's girlfriend, Asker. Oh, she can't lie out of that one. She got me into it. I can prove it. Who's the real leader of the gang? Milford. He started it. He organized the whole thing. He collects the stuff we get and he delivers it. Jansson helps him do it. What do you mean he delivers this stuff?

9:12Where does he deliver it? Somewhere in Dogtown, I think. Down around South Maine near the railroad yards. Who'd have delivered, too? I don't know exactly. I heard Jansson mention the name once. Myra, he said, it's supposed to be a big secret. Myra, that's all I remember. Where does Jansson and Milford lay him? Jansson rooms down on East Flower. The 1042, I think it's a roomy house. And Milford lives two blocks over for me on Quincy. 234 Quincy. You live with his grandmother. Got that bent. All right. Let's pick up Milford and Jansson. There was 10 minutes past one on Ben and I returned to headquarters with George Jansson and Fred Milford in our custody. In Jansson's room at 1042 East Flower Street, we found two fur coats, a box full of new car accessories, an SNW 38 revolver, and a 45 automatic. When we picked up Fred Milford at his home,

10:13we discovered five deluxe car radios hidden in the garage, plus a valuable assortment of cameras, cigarette lighters, and clothing. Both Jansson and Milford refused to talk. And when we got them to headquarters, we showed them the sign statements of Stanley Freeman and the girl Joanne Miller. They broke. Milford, where else did you and your gang operate besides the wheelchair district? No place. Hold me out there. That's all. Same type of car burger. There's been committed all over the city. You're telling us your gang didn't have a hand in them? It's the truth. Our territory was wheelchair district. We didn't go outside. You mean some other gang's response? I don't know. I know it. We didn't have any part of them. Here's another gang, Milford. Maybe I don't know. You can't find out. It's none of my business. It is your business, Milford. You admit you and your gang committed 55 jobs in the past three and a half months. That leaves about 200 jobs to be accounted for. That's right. You figure it out. We have figured it out. I think you and your gang are young thieves. Pulled every one of those 250 jobs. There isn't any other gang. That's the story that this attorney is going to get. You're crazy. There is. I know there is. And give us the information to save yourself a lot of trouble. Well, we're not the only ones. That's all I know.

11:15Milford, do you know how many years you get for auto burger? Hold you. We're not the only ones. There must be a couple of others besides us. Vince Mahoney, he's got a gang. Where does Mahoney operate? West Hollywood and Beverly. Where's he live? I don't know. Honest, I only met him a couple of times. What'd you mean? I don't remember. What'd you mean, Milford? Delivery. I met him down at the delivery place couple of nights. When you delivered the property you stole from cars, is that right? Yeah. Where was that? Down by the railroad yard. Where? Shabby Street. It's a little alley-office name. Who would you deliver this death to? He told you our name's Myra. That's all I know. We meet her and some guy on Tuesday nights. We give him the stuff and they pass off. And the only delivers the same night I do. Do you meet her every Tuesday night? Yeah. You're going to meet her this Tuesday, tomorrow night? I don't know. I guess so. Same place. Yeah? Are you the only ones you deal with? Sometimes joy in. Near joy. I know what you're thinking.

12:16You want to use me to trap Myra. What's it worth? You know better than that. How about it, Milford? Oh, what else can I do? Give me another cigarette. By 3.30 that morning, the sign statements and confessions were piling up fast. Noford gave us a list of the names and addresses of each member in his game. Within an hour, they were all under questioning at headquarters. Most of the suspects, about one-third of them, girls, brings an age from 18 to 21. As they told their individual stories, the scope of the case grew until it covered most of the city. By late afternoon of the next day, Tuesday, March 3rd, three more gangs operating in Venice, Bel-Ara, North Hollywood, have been apprehended. They confessed to more than 175 burglaries from lock cars during the past three and a half months. At 5 o'clock that afternoon, Ben and I met with Chief Backstrand in his office. How many admissions you have now?

13:16Over 50, Ed. Here are the gang leader's statements. That's this story. That's pretty much the same. They all say this woman Myra set up operate. You mean she got the kids and put them to work burglarizing cars? Not exactly. She picked the leaders, contacted them in bars or on the street, asking if they wanted to pick up some spare money getting auto parts for it. Then she didn't tell them to go out and burglarize cars. Or not in so many words, Ed. No. After they brought in auto parts for a couple of weeks, she told them to bring her everything they could find outside the car inside. That was the word she used. For every kid's dictated those words into their sign, confection. That should hold in court. What else did you get on this woman? She taught them how to work, own the word loves, all angles. I don't know. We've got most of the small fine. Where do we find this Myra woman? Any description on it? Yeah. The kid says she's about 33, 34. Good looking redhead. Five feet, five by 120. Well, Ray. No description on the guy she runs with. You run a make-unner yet? Yeah. No previous record.

14:16We set up a stakeout for tonight. Two of the gang leaders have volunteered to go along. It's no further than Vince Mahoney. Good. Down on Shavis, where she usually meets him? Yeah, it's right. I went 11, 15. That's a regular time for the mate, according to the kid. I'll be at home. Call me. I don't want to miss out on this one. When Ben and I left at Backstrand's office, we went home for dinner in a few hours' sleep. At 9.30 p.m., we were back at the office. We met the man in the special detail, which backstanded the sign for the stakeout that night. We grieved them on their duties, and then we got Fred Milford and Vince Mahoney out of their cells. To avoid any possible suspicion of the presence of a trap, we had Milford's permission to use his car and the stakeout. The car, which he had said, had driven to the delivery meetings with the woman in the mirror, at least a dozen times before. We arrived at the stakeout area, Shavis Allian East Main, at 9.58. The meeting was scheduled for 11.15.

15:16The moon was out, but the sky was overcast, and it was a cold wind blowing from the east. Hey, what time you got, Sergeant? About 10. Why, Milford? Getting nervous? No, I'm just wondering. How you cop's going to rig this thing? Just a couple of minutes, we're going to plant you two in Milford's car, parked up there in the alley. You stay there until my rush shows up. We'll do the rest. Yeah, I know, but what do we say? Suppose you ask for some stuff, we ain't got any. You won't need any. You would have much time for talk. He's supposed to wash his up. Maybe she'll pull a gun. Maybe. So she carry one? No. Never saw her with one. Don't worry, Milford. We'll make sure you're nothing dangerous. Scott Norfolk tempered that, Redhead. Got met up me once when I squawked at the price if he was pennies for radios. What was your penny, Milford? A $8.2 radio grid-shaped 7 bucks. So you got all the gravy and you got all the grief? You're not kidding. Joe? Are you? Yes, Steve. What do you got? On the matter, I'll stake down at you. I got the area coverage from every angle.

16:16All right. You got an extra man to stay in Milford's car. I'll handle that myself. Fine, thanks. Okay. On set, Joe? Yeah. I'm a holly. We're going to put you two in your car now. There's going to be an officer with you, so there's no need to be nervous or afraid. You're just sitting in the car, act natural. When this mile drives up, don't leave the car. I have her come to you. You got it? Sure. Okay. All right, Joe. Let's go. She already has cold out. I already know about the heater in my car. You're still enough, um. Okay, Steve. Here they are. All right, boys. No, for getting first behind the wheel. Okay. I'll only in the middle. Now I'm sitting in the back. I'm going to be parking that garage across this prairie, Steve. Got a perfect view of the alley. Okay, back. Check with you later. All right. Me, not, Joe. Yeah. Come on.

17:21It's cold here in the garage in it. Yeah. And it might be a long way. What time, you guys? Six minutes past 10. Thank you. Hey, Joe. What is it? Uh, there's nothing. I thought that passing car would turn in the alley. Relax, slowly. Long legs. Dark. You're throwing your nerve. That's it, Ben. Half past 11. Nothing yet. Somebody might have tipped her off. Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. Now let's wait it out anyway. Joe, have blue coupe just turned in the alley. Let's go.

18:22One run, Ben. Behind you. All right. All right. Oh, a creature. What'd you get, Steve? Here he is. Just drove up in the coupe. Got out and called Moffat Mahoney, but the first name, he's in on it. What about the groom? No sign. Kid was the only one in the car. All right. Tell them in the stakeouts offered tonight. Have a report back in. We'll take the kid with us. Okay. All right, Jim. Follow this way. Are you cops think it's doing anything? We've got a big sport. We heard that from 54 different kids yesterday. We're tired of that line. Come on. When we got back to the office, we took the boy to the interrogation room, and questioned him. He gave his name as Matthew Lighter, age 21. He wouldn't break until Vince Mahoney definitely identified him as a member of his car-burgery gang and the special favorite of the red-headed woman they called Miro. and lighter copped out and told Ben and I that he had talked with Myra's latest ten o'clock tonight. He told us that she had heard that the police had picked up some of the gang members and she asked Lighter to drive down to the Shavas Ali meeting place.

19:22He was supposed to tell Norford and Mahoney that the weekly delivery date was off until further notice. We questioned Matthew Lighter for an hour and a half. You told us a little while ago that you talked with this woman Myra late tonight. Yeah. Where'd you talk to her, huh? Her home will be stupid nobody knows what she lives. I met her at a bar. Which bar? Julius. How about Santa Monica? How does she contact you? Call me at home. She's not such a bad name. She treats you right. Sure, that's why you're in jail. You have a caller on the phone? I don't know her number. None of the kids do. She's smart. She told me all I know about the ragged. You'll have a rough time getting there. Maybe we'll get her. Ben and I left the office at 2 a.m. and went home to bed. We reported in at 8.00 that morning to head back strand. The three of us went down the street to Koken's restaurant for a cup of coffee. Nobody was in a good mood. We had most or all the small fry in the city white burglary rain, but it seemed we were still a long way from cracking the inner circle.

20:28A lighter kid said that none of them knows where she lives. What a whole number is nothing. Vice-assulgarity. I think we still have a few angles to study on that scoy. Right now I've got some more bad news for you. What's that? Been through your mail this morning. All that's yet to have that a chance. I saw the overnight reports. There were 32 car burglaries last night. 32 all the way from Wilmington to North Hollywood. How you figured it? I can't. This girl, my room must have an army of kids working for. How much did they get in? You had the idea? Rough estimate about $3,000. Usually stuff people are foolish enough to leave in their cars, watches, cameras, furs, expensive clothes. Am I always the same? And like the others, if the car happens to have a rigid handle lock, they slip a piece of pipe over the handle for a lever and break it. If that doesn't work, they pry open the wing window. Some of the windows were smashed out. How's the luck doing an awful hurry, Joe? Maybe this mile wants a few big nights before she pedals the stuff and gets out. If we're going together, we can't waste time.

21:30Any suspects picked up last night's keeper? None. Where did they hit most of the car? Outside the pan-Pacific. The parking lot, hockey game going on. Must have been 4,000 cars for them to pick over. They picked the best. As usual. How do you better get on it? There's one way to handle it. What's that? She works fast. You work a little faster. We got back to the office and we went over the reports one by one. Then we called the young gang members to the interrogation room and questioned them separately and requested them. We got nowhere. Many of them had met Miro on the street in the bar, but not one of them had any idea where she lived. At least that's what they told us. Ben had a hunch that Matthew Lighter knew more than he was telling. We had him brought to the interrogation room and all that afternoon until 10 o'clock that night, with interruptions for his meal periods. We talked with Lighter. He would admit nothing more than what he'd already told us. It's got me beat, Joe. Now let's check it out.

22:34Hi, Mike. Skipper in. This one down the hall for a minute. Right there. Full of him in the lead. She thought the tech was always handling. Yeah. Well, you, Joe. Oh, thanks. Oh, yeah. It does. We'll be right over it. What Sergeant Hopkins is over at the jail. Yeah. Matthew Lighter's got something to tell us. It says it's important. I have a chair here, later. Yeah, thanks. All right. You wanted to see us. I'm getting even with that damn Miro. I'm squaring with you. Yeah. If you told me if I was picked up, you'd have me out in a couple of hours. She promised me a lawyer if anything happened. Said she'd get me bail. All right. Where can we find her? I don't know if she's there now, but you can find out at Francisco Motors. They use Kailat. Garage too. Saadon Melrose passed last year in America. What's the time? That's where she fence most of the stuff we stole.

23:35Some old guy she buddies with runs the place. Big shop on the back. Store a lot of hot stuff there. Barney. Yes, I was. We're through with him. Take him back. We checked with Chief Backstrand and then we drove out to the Francisco Motor Company. We located in the corner of Melrose and Geneva Avenue. It was a big layout. Consisted to the large used Kailat sign, banning the slogan, Deluxe Auto Accessories. Lowest prices in town. Along the back end of the lot there was a large L-shaped garage. We found the man in charge and he gave his name as Paul Hackett, the owner of the Kailat. In the garage we found the entrance to a large back store room was loaded with thousands of dollars with a bottle radio, spotlights, freight pulls of assorted car accessories. Special closets built into the walls of the garage contain racks of fur coat suits, dresses. Below that, smaller boxes containing watches and cameras all wrapped in tissue paper. You can save all of us a lot of time and trouble by talking to us now.

24:38Mr. Hackett, where is my? I don't know who you're talking about. I don't know what you're talking about. You explain what we just found in your garage. I didn't know it was there. I didn't know it was stolen. Well, which is it, Mr. Hackett? Make up your mind. I bought it. But I didn't know it was stolen. You can't prove I didn't know. I think we can prove it, Mr. Hackett. Some of those stolen car radio stored back there. The serial numbers are filed off in this workbench. Here's full of filings. I... I didn't know... You'll have to do better than that. How does my figure in? I don't know. I don't know what you're talking about. It's all right with us, Hackett. We found the stuff and we got you. If we don't find Maira, you'll be doing time for two people. Stand still. You can't do this to me. I don't know anything about it. Come on, Hackett. We're taking you in. All right, get in the car. Come on in the car. I... I'm going to jail. You're going to jail. All right.

25:39I'll take you to Maira. Hackett told us that Maira lived at 1345 Munich Drive in Beverly Hills. He said that he was Maira's husband. He told us that he'd been in a legitimate garage business for ten years before he married Maira. She talked him into the wagon. He identified 1345 Munich Drive as their home. When we got there, we found stores of stolen property similar to those found in the garage. Maira was not there. Hackett had no idea where she might be. We sat down on the living room and waited. One hour, two hours, three hours. After five hours of waiting, Maira not needed to start the wear on everybody's nerves. Especially Hackett's. I had the whole thing. It was her idea. I said no. All of her. She did this to me. I won't check her alone. Where is she? You tell us, Hackett. Told you. I don't know. She couldn't have gone. She didn't know. I'm going to drive her along. I'm going to drive her along.

26:41Got your paw? But I heard you talking to Tom. You see. The police, Maira. The police. Your smart kid's called in the whole story. What are you talking about, my smart kid? What are you talking about? Get your dirty hands off me, darling! Get your right. You sure she's going to tell me that? Yeah, I know. Who you think you are? That oughta hold you for a while. I'd come on you too. Let's go. I can't. You win. Stupid husband. How many times I tell you? Don't test those kids. Don't start a stop in the garage. Don't open it for anybody. Get a lawyer. No, you know better. Don't joke. The idea of having those cops can't be in the living room waiting for me. Why didn't you warn me? You little divorce you. That's what I'm going to do. I'll stick you for plenty. Jerk. All right, inside you too. You got a smoke bin. Hmm. Yeah. Thanks.

27:45I just thinking. Boy, those kids were right. Just pretty nice looking woman. Yeah. Nice face. Beautiful figure. Mm-hmm. Sure talks a lot though, doesn't she? Yeah. Hey, Joe. Remind me to take home some flowers to my wife tonight, will you? The story you're just heard is cruel. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. Paul and Myra Hackett were tried and convicted on seven separate counts of receiving stolen property. They are now serving out their sentences in the state penitentiary, realizing that most of the young persons involved in the case were influenced by the strong personality of poor. Paul and Myra Hackett, our separate investigation was made into the backgrounds and home life of the young offenders. In most cases, they were found to be basically good, and they were placed on probation and returned to their homes.

28:53You have just heard the 13th in a new series of authentic cases from official files. The clinical advice for Dragnet comes from the office of WAWW acting chief of police, Los Angeles Police Department. Tonight's program is dedicated to Detective Harry William Vosper of the Seattle Washington Police Department. The one the night of July 21st, 1949, gave his life so that yours might be more secure. Dragnet came to you from Los Angeles. And now, an important announcement. Starting this Saturday, September 3rd, Dragnet will be heard at a new time over your NBC station. Consult your local newspaper for the new listening time. And now, speaking in behalf of the producers and the entire cast of Dragnet, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your many kind letters of encouragement and approval. Remember, next Saturday for Dragnet, this is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company.