Original subtitles

This is the city, Los Angeles, California.

This part of it has been here

a long time... Several thousand years.

This is Hancock Park, the Tar Pits,

where more than one prehistoric skeleton has been unearthed.

This sign, spelling out a world-famous name,

was put up on the side of a mountain

over 50 years ago.

The sign, like the mountains,

hasn't changed through the years.

Some of the buildings are still standing,

the Old Hall of Records,

but they're beginning to change.

The New Hall of Records.

Los Angeles is really a young city.

This is where it all began, when it was a Mexican pueblo.

They called this The Plaza.

Today, this is a plaza.

It's a mall, a shopping center.

In Los Angeles, you don't have to go downtown.

Everything is right here: stores, markets,

restaurants, banks.

These plazas are all over the city

and they all need protection.

That's part of my job.

I carry a badge.

It was Tuesday, August 4th.

It was hot in Los Angeles.

We were working the day watch

out of Robbery Division, bank detail.

The boss is Captain Howell.

My partner's Bill Gannon.

My name's Friday.

10:09 a.m. We got a code 3 call.

Five minutes after the Mercantile National Bank

at Victory and Moore Park opened its doors,

it had been held up by a man and a woman.

The story you are about to see is true.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

The bank detail is composed of six men

broken into three teams of two men each.

When available, all three units

converge on the scene of a robbery.

Bill and I were working as one of those teams.

Joe, see if you can get that guy

to move out of the way, will you?

Thought I'd take Moorpark. Less traffic.

Yeah, whoever hit the bank's got five minutes on us now.

1K82 calling 1K80.

This is 80.

Just arriving at the bank. We'll take the inside.

You and Gannon want to cover the street?

Roger.

You fellas from downtown?

Bank detail. Friday and Gannon.

Team inside asked me to fill you in.

All right. According to the witnesses,

the male suspect's about 40.

Around 6'2", 200 pounds.

- White shirt and blue jeans. - What about the woman?

A little younger. Redhead wearing a yellow dress.

She scooped up the money in a pillowcase.

- Mauve. - What's that?

Mauve. M-A-U-V-E.

That's that they said, a mauve pillow case.

Any witnesses out here?

Yes, sir. A few.

They say the suspects escaped in a blue sedan.

I got FI cars on those who couldn't stay around.

Are any of them still here?

Dr. Philip Lang.

He's over there with my partner.

He should be a good witness.

Why do you say that?

He's an eye doctor.

10:20 a.m.

Dr. Philip Lang agreed to cancel an appointment

and accompany us on a search of the area.

He had seen the escape car and he was certain

he would recognize it if he saw it again.

We began to cruise the immediate area

in the vicinity of the bank that was just held up.

We drove slowly up and down the business district,

and along the neighborhood streets bordering it,

in all directions.

They'd leave the getaway car this close to the bank?

Yes, sir. The usual pattern is to use a stolen car

and dump it within a few blocks.

Just walk away and leave it?

Well, sometimes they walk.

Sometimes they have a switch car waiting.

The usual drop spots are service areas,

public parking lots, even somebody's carport.

Could you slow down a little?

Yes, sir.

There's a carport.

That looks like it could be the car.

Engine's warm. Keys are in the ignition.

I'll check the house, Joe.

Right.

- Doctor? - That's it.

No doubt about it. That's the hold-up car.

Did you get the license number?

No, sir. That's why I remember the car so well.

How do you mean?

I didn't catch the license number.

Hat's why I remember everything else about the car so well.

Yes, sir.

I said it to myself right then.

What's that, sir?

Philip, I said, "You need stronger glasses."

The only person at home in the residence

at 18 South Maple Moore was Mrs. Stuart Riley.

She told us the car belonged to no one in her family.

She had never seen it before.

10:45 a.m.

Bill ran the license number

of the blue sedan through DMV.

We also called SID.

11:03 a.m.

Latent prints came out to check the car over.

Registration card should read Jenna Altman.

It does. 1005 St. Alban's St.

That's right.

Checked her through R and I, no record.

Shook the car. Found this under the back seat.

Let's check her bed.

Her bed?

Maybe she's shy one pillowcase.

We arranged to have the blue sedan towed away

to an impound garage.

Then we drove directly to St. Alban's St.

The team inside the bank told us

that the bandits had gotten away with less than $300.

The woman in the yellow dress

had carried the money out of the bank.

Yes, Mr. Vincent, I'll be happy to take a cab.

Could you hold on a minute?

- Yes. - Jenna Altman?

Yes, but I'm very busy. We're police officers.

Oh, well, you certainly got here in a hurry.

Come on in. I'm sorry, Mr. Vincent.

What was that?

Yes, the police are here now.

I will, the moment I can.

Such service. I'm overwhelmed.

Ma'am?

I mean, I reported it not 10 minutes ago

and here you are.

- Reported what? - About my car.

Well, that's why you're here, isn't it?

Do you live here alone?

Yes. But what's that got to do with my car?

I suppose eventually

you'll get around to telling me the reasons for all this.

License number of your car, JX0237?

Yes. I reported all that.

You mean, your car was stolen?

Well, of course, it was stolen.

When?

Last night, this morning. I don't know when.

It wasn't in my parking space

when I went to drive to the office.

What time do you usually leave for work?

9:15.

It's after 11 now.

I'm well aware of that, Sergeant.

That was my employer I was just talking to.

Have you been out of this apartment today?

I told you. I went out to my car.

It was gone.

I came back here and phoned my office.

Then I reported it. Then my employer phoned me.

Then you showed up.

Mm-hmm. Be back in a minute, Joe.

Right.

Well, Sergeant, I suppose you're ready

to give me some explanation for all this.

Yes, ma'am.

Your car was used in a bank robbery this morning.

Seriously? My car? You're kidding.

Yes, ma'am. A man and a woman.

Really?

This woman was described as about 30,

red hair, wearing a yellow dress.

Do you own a yellow dress, Miss Altman?

Yes. I own a yellow two-piece shantung,

a yellow dekaron shirtwaist

and a yellow peek-a-boo lace sheath.

Could you be a little more specific?

Why, you're doing just fine. Could I check your closet?

Don't you need a search warrant for that?

Not if I have your permission.

Suppose I don't give it.

Then I'll get a search warrant.

Oh, go ahead.

Everyone owns a yellow dress. They're in there.

Thank you.

Come in.

- Somebody's lying. - Yeah.

Swimming pool man said she drove off in her car

before 9 this morning.

Couple hours later, returned in a cab.

Yeah.

Found out since then she's changed her clothes.

Pool man happen to notice

what she was wearing this morning?

Yellow dress.

Uh-huh.

Think that's enough?

Along with that, yeah.

Monthly parole report.

We advised Jenna Altman of her rights

and took her downtown.

She had no lawyer,

but expected one would be obtained for her

by her employer.

12:25 p.m. A police woman

made a personal search of the suspect.

She reported finding neither money nor a weapon.

She's dressed, Joe. You can go in.

Right. How busy are you?

Nothing that can't wait. Why?

You want me to stay?

- We'd appreciate it. - Be glad to.

I hope you don't mind.

This young woman said it was all right.

Now you've been advised of your rights, Miss Altman.

You don't have to talk to us until your lawyer gets here.

But that's the problem.

I can't be sure one is coming.

It's quite possible I no longer have a job.

You see, I worked for an old-line conservative firm.

That's why I lied to you.

You knew I was lying, didn't you?

Yes, ma'am.

You want to tell us the truth now?

Might as well.

Can't be any worse off than this, can I?

What time did you leave your apartment this morning?

A little earlier than usual to do some shopping.

My car was there. That was lie number 1.

- Yes, ma'am. - I made my purchases.

I had just got back into my car.

Where did you do your shopping?

The Devon Plaza.

A man got in beside me

right there in the middle of the parking lot.

There were a dozen people within 20 feet of me.

- Yes, ma'am. - But he had a gun.

I didn't move. I didn't scream.

And he said very matter of factly,

as if he'd rehearsed every word,

"This is what we're gonna do, lady.

We're gonna rob a bank," and that's exactly what we did.

One step at a time, Miss Altman.

Just as it happened, please.

Well, he said he'd keep everybody quiet

while I gathered up all the money.

Then he handed me a pillow case.

What color?

What color? I don't...

Yes, it was a sort of washed-out lavender.

All right. Go on.

Well, he made me walk into the bank

and he pointed the gun at a teller and said,

"This is a stick-up," or something like that.

Nobody moved. He motioned to me

and I got all the money I could reach

and put it in the pillow case.

I had no choice, Sergeant. I had to do what he said.

Surely you can see that.

What happened next?

Well, he took my arm and walked me outside.

And then he said, "Here's where we part company.

Thanks a lot, lady." And he drove away in my car.

- How'd you get back home? - In a cab.

Why didn't you wait until the police arrived?

I already explained that.

This firm I work for is very conservative.

They don't care for this kind of publicity.

Was that the only reason?

Certainly.

Do you have a record, Miss Altman?

What?

I said, "Do you have a police record?

Have you ever been arrested?"

You must have checked your files by this time.

Did you find anything?

No ma'am, not in our files.

Well then.

But if it was out of state, it wouldn't be in our records.

Well, Miss Altman?

You said you were gonna tell us the truth.

I've done that. I've told you the truth.

No, ma'am. You haven't.

You've got a record in Oklahoma City.

You did time there and you've been placed on parole.

You were granted permission to leave the state.

You moved out here.

Now, as an out-of-state parolee,

you have to make monthly reports to a local PO.

He's got your record on file.

Now suppose you take it from there.

Have you talked to Mr. Ralston?

Yes, ma'am.

Then you know all about it.

Why don't you tell us anyway?

I was married once.

William T. Crow, a handsome, charming man

who just happened to be a compulsive gambler.

He was always broke, always in debt.

I kept buying him out of trouble.

I made a good salary but it was never enough,

so I borrowed.

Never very much. But often.

It adds up that way.

And when you get caught, it's not borrowing.

You know what it's called, don't you, Sergeant?

Embezzlement.

You divorced now?

Oh, yes. I'm divorced.

It took 18 months in prison to do it.

But I finally got him out of my system.

Where's your ex-husband now?

I don't know.

We'll want a description of him.

- Why? - Just routine.

Routine?

You think he's the man who robbed the bank.

That's right, isn't it?

You don't believe anything I've said.

You make it a little difficult, lady.

Why? I told you the truth.

Sure, you did. Three different ways.

1:15 p.m. Jenna Altman was booked for armed robbery.

On our recommendation, bail was set low.

She was released within two hours.

Her car was released from impound.

We placed her under surveillance.

She went directly home. She stayed there.

At 8 p.m., we knocked off for the day.

Wednesday, August 5th.

We continued a hit-and-miss surveillance

with no results.

The suspect went to work. She went out for lunch.

She went home again.

If she made any contact with a male suspect,

it had to be by telephone.

Thursday, August 6th.

Jenna Altman checked into her office building

at the regular time.

Control 327 to 1K80, 81 and 82.

Just had a good one. Mercantile National Bank.

Sherman and Oxnard.

Two caucs, male and female.

They're armed.

This is 1K80 to control, we'll take it.

Control 327 to 1K80.

This is 80.

Disregard. 1K82 will handle.

Woman just called in. She's in the Red Quill Bar.

Claimed she was just forced to help rob a bank.

K and A367.

10:45 a.m. We drove directly to the Red Quill Bar.

It was less than half a block from the bank

that had just been robbed.

The woman had told the office

her name was Mrs. Carl Riplin.

I don't mind telling you what happened,

but if it's all the same to you, Sergeant,

I'd like to finish this first.

Bartender, where's the bottom half of this?

Will you boys join me?

- No, thanks. - No, thanks.

Would you mind telling us what happened?

I had just stopped for a red light.

This young man climbed into my car.

I told him I didn't pick up hitchhikers

and he'd have to get out.

He pointed a gun at me.

That's a terrible experience, Sergeant.

Yes, ma'am.

You stare it knowing if you do something wrong,

you're gonna be killed.

- What did you do? - Just what he told me.

I went into the bank with him, and gathered up all the money

and put it into a pillowcase he'd given me.

Would you go on, please?

When we got outside, he took my car

and left me standing there.

I knew there were three things I could do.

- I had to make a choice. - Yes, ma'am.

I could faint or start screaming or have a drink.

Yes, ma'am.

This is my fourth.

12 noon. We had a series of robberies going.

The same bandit had robbed both banks.

The descriptions of him matched up.

The MO was the same, and Mrs. Riplin's account

was identical to the one given us by Jenna Altman.

12:35 p.m. Bill and I,

along with the other two bank detail teams,

met with the captain of Robbery Division,

Captain Mert Howe.

This last job kind of takes the heat

off the Altman woman, doesn't it?

Looks that way, Captain.

You think that was the purpose?

- It's possible. - It's been done before.

How do the rest of you feel about it?

Well, I wouldn't rule it out, Captain,

- but it wasn't the only purpose. - Yeah?

Thief walked out with over $4,000 on this last job.

He only got $300 out of the Devon branch

with the Altman woman.

Just three days apart.

He must have a big overhead.

Gambler, maybe.

So was Jenna Altman's ex-husband.

Unless we get something bigger than that, Friday,

we'll have to consider rejecting it

when she answers the writ.

A couple of things going for us, Skipper.

What's that?

Two branches of the Merc National.

He's probably not gonna change banks now.

Uh-huh.

And, so far, he's hit between 10 and 11 a.m.

Joe, where did you find the hostage cars?

Dumped within three blocks of each job.

Could he live in the area? Nothing in the MO book.

No, sir. He's a new one.

Well, what do you think? Rolling stakeout?

About the only way we can handle it.

All right. Work out your own schedule.

- Friday? - Yes, sir.

- The Altman woman. - Yes, sir.

Clear her or keep her.

Tuesday, August 11th.

The rolling stakeout was in its fourth day.

Between 10 a.m. and noon,

at least one unit was cruising the area.

From noon until the banks closed,

we made follow-up interviews

of witnesses to both robberies.

Nothing developed.

Friday, August 14th.

The banks were open until 6:00.

4:30 p.m. The hostage bandit hit again.

We were at the wrong end of the stakeout area.

4:40 p.m. It was the same story.

The suspect had used a woman hostage again.

This time, the woman was waiting for us

right in front of the bank.

Are you police?

Yes, ma'am. Robbery detail.

Well, I was waiting for the light to change

when he stuck his head in the window.

He acted like he was in an awful hurry,

said he was late for work and if I'd give him a lift

as far as Arlington, he'd pay me a dollar.

Yes, ma'am.

Well, he looked all right.

Clean. Kind of good-looking, in fact.

And he gave me the dollar.

I told him I was going to Arlington anyway,

but he said I was doing him a big favor.

And it was worth it. Some favor.

You know what he did?

No, ma'am. Suppose you tell us.

You'd think he'd stolen enough money.

- Yes, ma'am. - That pillowcase,

I stuffed it full of bills for him.

Must have been hundreds there.

Can you imagine the gall of the man?

He only gave me $1.00.

Yes, ma'am.

I used at least $5.00's worth of gas.

The pattern of the third robbery

was identical with the previous two.

Even the hostage car was found in the same area.

6:30 p.m. On our way home,

we stopped off to see Jenna Altman.

Oh.

Will you sit down?

Or aren't we staying that long?

We'll stand. Thanks anyway.

Sure we're not interrupting anything?

No. No. Nothing pressing.

You'll have to excuse me.

I don't recognize this approach.

What is it this time?

You know you're gonna have to appear on that writ.

Yes. I'm well aware of that.

That's what we came to tell you, Miss Altman.

It's gonna be rejected.

Rejected?

Yes, ma'am. The charge will be withdrawn.

Why? Don't think I'm ungrateful. But why?

The same man robbed two more banks.

He picked up women to help him just like you.

You arrested them too?

- No, ma'am. Not yet. - Why not?

For one thing, Miss Altman, both of the other women

voluntarily contacted us to report the robberies.

You didn't, did you?

We'll notify your parole officer,

and if you like, we'll tell your employer

that you've been cleared.

Thank you. That would help.

- Sergeant. - Yes, ma'am.

What's the sentence for robbing a bank?

25 years for each conviction.

It's hardly worth it, is it?

Well, that's the idea.

They want to make it an unpopular crime.

- Is it? - Not in Los Angeles.

This is the bank robbery capital of the world.

1949, there were eight bank robberies here.

Now we're averaging over 140 a year.

How do you account for it?

A lot of reasons, I guess. Branch banking for one.

Used to be, you went downtown to bank.

Now every shopping area has a branch.

Then there's the way they build them,

mostly for public relations, you know.

In the old days, tellers were in cages.

The modern bank is just right for counter jumpers

and note writers and the on-ramp specialists.

The what? A bank built near a freeway.

By the time we reach the scene,

a bandit can be 20 miles away.

What about this hostage bandit?

- Yes, ma'am. - Think you'll catch him?

Well, it's hard to say, Miss Altman.

But the numbers are pretty good.

What do you mean?

In this city, 80% of the cases are cleared.

Friday, August 21st, the rolling stakeout continued.

4:10 p.m.

All units in the vicinity.

A 211 silent alarm. Mercantile National Bank.

3227 Lankershim, 15 Adam 27, handle code three.

Hit it once.

Police officers!

The money's in that bag and that's his gun.

I disarmed him first thing.

Yes, ma'am. Are you all right?

Yes. Just a little scared.

I'll put him in the black and white, Joe.

Right.

Wonder if I could have your name, please.

Doris Colbert, Miss.

All right. Do you want to tell me what happened here?

Well, you're not gonna believe this,

but that man made me help him rob a bank.

I believe it.

He made me park my car out there in front.

We walked up to the plaza. Could I sit down?

I'm still a little bit shaky.

Sure.

Some people will tell you they're only scared

after it's all over.

They're lucky. I was petrified every second.

You sure didn't look it.

Well, I was.

But it suddenly occurred to me

as we were walking out of the bank,

that this was the very situation

- I've been telling my students about. - Yes, ma'am.

In case they were ever attacked, you know,

how to defend themselves.

You can even disarm a man if you know how.

- Yes, ma'am. - Well, I know how.

I've been demonstrating it for years.

- I teach karate. - Yes, ma'am.

First time I've ever had to put it in practice.

You know, it really works.

I know.

I gave him a chop on the forearm

and that gun must have jumped 6 feet.

Then I really went after him.

You did fine, Miss Colbert.

Control 327 to 1K80.

Mercantile National Bank, Lankershim Branch.

Looks like the hostage bandit.

It is. We have him in custody.

You want to take him downtown

while Gannon and I finish up here?

Right, Sergeant.

Stinking, broad. I can't believe it.

What's that?

Imagine a stinking broad

wiping up the sidewalk with you.

That dame is strong as an ox.

Sure. She must weigh at least 120 pounds.

What is she? A lady wrestler?

Linebacker for the Cleveland Browns.

- Take him in. - Right, Sergeant.

I didn't hurt him, did I?

Not where it shows.

You know, Sergeant, one thing really bugs me.

What's that?

Well, he told me he'd give me a dollar

if I'd give him a lift.

- Just a couple of blocks, he said. - Yeah.

I told him I didn't want the dollar, but he insisted.

- So you took it. - That's right.

And after I filled that pillowcase full of money,

went through all that hold-up business in the bank...

Yes, ma'am.

- The nerve of that slob! - What's that?

He made me give him the dollar back.

The suspect was found guilty

on four counts of bank robbery.

Bank robbery is a federal offense

which is punishable by imprisonment

for not more than 25 years on each count.