Original subtitles

[ Frida y Nam? ting] This is the ciz‘y— [as Ange/es, California,

Some people claim it’s a collection ofsuburbs, not a ciz‘yaz‘ all

Others say that in 7 0 years e very city in America will look like L os Ange/es does today,

One thing’s sure— it’s a city that’s not afl’aio’ to experiment

where the unusual is taken for granted

Five thousand people move to L os Ange/es every month.

The L os Ange/es CountyArt Museum,

To some, this might be an incentive to settle here,

A block away, you can look at the cityano’ its inhabitants...

the way things were 70 million years ago.

This is East Fifth Street, home address for dreams that ne ver came true.

A few people believe that life owes them something..

and the way to collect it is at the point ofa gun.

That’s where /come in. / car/ya badge.

/t was Thursday, April 3. We were working the day watch out of Burglary Division.

Myboss is Captain Mack My partner’s Bill Gannon.

My name is Friday

Thieves had broken into a furstore on Wi/shire Bou/e vard..

and had forced open a storage vault full of fur coats.

$ 7 00, 000 worth of mink and chinchilla had been stolen.

Our/“ob? Get ’em back

[Man Narrating] The story you are about to see is true.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent

— You know,Joe.7 I just figured something out. — Yeah, what‘s that?

— I make the best coffee in the division. — The strongest anyway.

— Only kind,Joe. The old navy way. — How would you know? You were in the army.

Everybody knows how the navy makes coffee,Joe. Surprised you don‘t.

Morning, Captain. Cup of coffee? You make it?

—Yes, sir. Sure did. — Uh, no, thanks.

— Sorry to get you two in so early. They had a busy night last night — Yes, sir?

Fur store on Wilshire really got hit. Just had the owner on the phone.

Says the thieves only took the most valuable stuff, mostly chinchilla and mink.

$ 700, 000 worth. Big haul.

— That‘s not all. They had to have something to put all that fur in. — Yes, sir?

They stole a truck.

[Friday Narra ting] We lefl‘ the police building and drove out to Emile Hartman ’s Fur Salon.

An AFB. had gone out on the truck before we lefl‘.

The stolen vehicle was a delivery van with the name "Hartman ” painted on the side.

8:35 a. m. Hartman ’s store just missed being in Be ver/y Hills b ya couple of blocks.

We met the ownerand the night watchman in the fur vault beneath the store.

— They got in through a window on the above floor. — You have an alarm system?

On every window but the one they went through.

They made Cartwright here give ’em the keys to the vault,

then just carried the furs outside there and dumped them into the van.

— What‘s your exact loss? — I haven‘t taken a complete inventoryyet.

But I can tell you something— They knew about fur.

— How‘s that? — All they left were the seals and wolves and some split—skin minks.

— Theyknew qualitymerchandise all right — I see.

Takes an expert. Like they say, ifyou don‘t know fur, know your furrier.

— Yes, sir. Cartwright, how many men were there? — Two, three maybe. I‘m not sure.

He was tied up when / got here. They had him in the corner o ver there on the squirrels.

— Can you describe the men? — Not me.

You didn‘t see ‘em?

Fora halfhourhe sits in the corner, and you don ’t see ’em?

— I did not. — Why not?

They had guns. I did what they told me.

— What‘s that? — I kept my eyes closed.

[Friday Narra ting] Before we lefl‘, we put in a call to Latent Prints and 5./.D.

The ysaid they’d send a team out to take photographs and go over the store and the fur vault

Without a description of the thieves, the only thing we might have to go on...

would be fingerprints lefl‘ at the scene or on the stolen delivery van.

Bill and / returned to the ofiice. 9:00 a. m.

Get anything? Nothing so far. Latent Prints should be there by now.

May be a waste oftime. Ijust got a call from Long Beach.

They picked up the delivery van down there. Yes, sir?

Not a readable print on it.

[Friday Narrating] Monday, April 7, 2:75pm.

Bill and/ checked the burglary M. 0. files. We turned up a couple of possib/es.

We ran them through the card files. We dre w a blank

A bulletin describing the stolen merchandise was sent to other law enforcement agencies.

So far, nothing had turned up on the stolen furs.

Friday, this is Roger Brucker. He might have something foryou. Sergeant Friday, Officer Gannon.

Mr. Brucker. How do you do? It‘s about some furs.

Yes, sir? Would you like to sit down, Mr. Brucker?

Thankyou.

A fellow called me this morning, asked me ifI knew anybody who‘d like to buy some fur coats.

— Said he could give ’em a real good deal — What line of business are you in, sir?

I‘m in the insurance business— life, liability, the whole package.

— Here‘s my card. It‘s got my address on it. — Who called you, sir?

Didn‘t give his name. I don‘t know why he called me.

Possibly he figured an insurance man might know somebody in the fur trade.

/ write a lot of business insurance— you know, fire, thefi‘, health plans.

— Did he leave a number, tell you how to contact him? — No.

Said he‘d call back this afternoon. Smelled fishy to me.

Then / read something about that fur robbery at Hartman ’s.

Put two and two together, called the district attorney. He told me to contact you people.

— Thought /’d come on down. — We‘re glad you did.

I don‘t mind getting involved. I just want to get my money‘s worth.

— Now, how‘s that, Mr. Brucker? — I pay taxes to hire you guys. Don‘t I?

[Friday Narra ting] Brucker told us he ’d cooperate in any way he could

We asked him to wait for the suspect to call him again and to tell them he ’d found a buyer.

3:05 p. m. We filled the captain in.

/t was decided that we would tryandset up a furbuy in one of the city’s betterhote/s.

What doyou figure, a suite in the Bel—Air Inn? Sounds about right.

Who‘s gonna make the buy? You two feel you know enough about fur?

We thought maybe the victim would brief us.

The way those guys worked over the racks, they know what they‘re dealing in.

You‘re gonna fake ‘em out, you‘d better know what you‘re doing. Yes, sir.

How soon can you set it up? As soon as they call Brucker.

[Friday Narra ting] 3.55 p. m. Bill and/ drove out to Emile Hartman ’s Fur Salon.

Lovely, isn‘t it? Doesn‘t the rolled collar set offthe face beautiful?

— /t’s the absolute latest style in New York — What do you think, darling?

— I think I‘d like to try the first one. — Certainly. Thankyou, dear.

Micheline?

Huh?

Let me have the coat, dear. That‘s right.

There. Now.

Isn‘t this absolutely gorgeous with your titian hair?

Absolutely.

Will you excuse me, Mrs. Hilliard? I have to speak to these gentlemen. I‘ll be right back.

Go ahead, Emile. Thankyou.

Did you find my goods? No, sir. Notyet.

It‘s a disaster. Absolutely it‘s a disaster.

When I‘ve got buyers, I‘ve got no furs. When I got no furs, I got buyers.

[ Mrs. Hilliard] Mr. Hartman. Excuse me, please.

Yes, Mrs. Hilliard. Isn‘t this a most magnificent Azurine?

We‘ve decided we‘d like to see something in a mink stole.

Uh, perhaps a Ca vishon styling?

Couldn‘t I show you a lovely wolf? It would do wonders with her complexion.

just the perfect color. I don‘t think so.

I can‘t seeJanice in wolf.

Perhaps if you could come by next week You may ha ve read of our unfortunate experience.

We were robbed, you know. Most ofour better furs were stolen.

Really? Oh, how terrible foryou.

But, you see, it‘s my baby‘s birthday, and she does so want a mink.

Well, come on, darling We ’// just have to try anothershop.

I‘m sorry we couldn‘t be ofany service, Mrs. Hilliard.

Perhaps on your birthday.

Oh, good heavens, no. I stopped having birthdays years ago.

[Sighs] A disaster. An absolute, honest—to—goodness disaster.

Yes, sir. I thought that coat looked pretty good on her.

This Azurine, yeah. This I borrowed from my friend Seymour. Even then I couldn‘t sell it.

That brown one you saw? A dog.

You don‘t know furs like Mrs. Hilliard. That was a split—skin coat.

She knows quality, that woman. Ha ve you found out anything yet?

We have a lead. The thieves are looking for a buyer. Sounds like they‘re ready to sell.

— Are you asking me to buy from them my own merchandise? — No, sir, but we‘re gonna need your help.

— For what, mayI ask? — We‘re gonna have to go undercover to catch the thieves.

Please, you got a minute? Let me tell you.

As a small boy, I played a lot ofgames. Some I won, and some I lost.

But you know the one /a/ways lost? C ops and Robbers.

I was the one that everybody pointed at and went, “Bang, bang.“

They killed me e very time. Now, / ask you, what kind of a secret agent would / make?

—AJames “Band,“ I ain‘t. — Yes, sir. You don‘t understand.

I‘m just a furrier, gentlemen, not a hero.

Listen, two weeks ago I take a plane all the way to New York.

So I thought I‘d live dangerous. You know what I did?

I did not take out any fiight insurance.

That’s my idea of courage.

Believe me, help fiom me you can do without

Mr. Hartman, we need the help ofan expert furrier.

Expert? Who‘s expert?

Just because I‘ve been in this business 14, ISyears, you think that makes me an expert?

Makes me pretty good, but an expert? Not on your life.

Mr. Hartman, you still don‘t understand. Gannon and I will go undercover, not you.

You mean I stay aboveground, and you go under?

Yes, sir. Wejust need somebody to give us expert advice on fur.

You, Mr. Gannon— You look like you could be a furrier.

You got a few minutes? /’// make you an expert Watch here.

Joanne, the Demibuff.

[Chuckling]

The dog— NotJoanne. The coat.

Now, step number one. This I learned from my brother, the doctor. A top man.

Mmm. Uh—huh. Mmm.

You softly stroke it.

Mr. Gannon, here, you stroke it.

Now, first up, then down.

— You feel the difference? —Yeah, it‘s rough going up, but coming down it‘s smooth.

Now, don‘t forget the sound effects— Mmm!

Mm—hmm/

And then to whoever‘s trying to sell it to you, you say, “Stagey.”

— Stagey? — Uh—huh. That means that it feels rough going up...

and smoo th coming do wn.

Mm—hmm. Already he sounds like a furrier.

No w look at this. This is what Mrs. Hilliard sa w

Darling? Now, you see this dark part here?

Now, that‘s a grotzen. Very technical term.

You see? /t’s in the verymidd/e of the skin where the different furs come together.

Now, that‘s good.

Well, it‘s not so good, but it‘s bad when it‘s at the bottom, and the why of it is underneath.

Now, joanne, please, turn up the hem. That’s right You see?

Right here. Very few seams. Hasn‘t been let out.

/’// tell you about that later. You see that, you say, "Hmph. Split skin. ”

Now,just by saying that, you get the price down.

— What‘s this coat actually worth? — Depends.

Retail, 2,000, maybe. Minus the fancylining we put in later, 1,800.

Wholesale, ifyou have a friend, 750.

Stolen, which is the kind of merchandise you’re gonna be dealing in,

I‘d say give ‘em maybe three, three and a half, top.

Split skin. That‘s when the grotzen is in the, uh, middle ofthe skin.

Right. Now, let me show you again that quality mink—

Seymour‘s quality mink.

Micheline?

Slip the coat on, darling.

There we are. Now, go to the gentleman, darling.

Now, feel Seymour‘s skins.

Mm—hmm! Not stagey at all.

Right away you‘re an expert, but remember, ifit‘s good, you don‘t give it away.

You give it this. [ Blows Softly]

You see, that‘s called “blowing into the fur."

Now, look at this. You see this skin underneath, on the undergrowth, how thick it is?

That‘s why it‘s not stagey.

And the skin is natural No w, that ’s a good sign.

/fit’s the same coloras the fur, that’s bad

/t means it’s been dyed

But when you‘re blowing, you‘re also smelling. [Sniffs]

Ifit smells like an animal, don‘t buy it. So when you do your blowing, screw your nose up a little bit.

Go, darling. Go. But you still want to get the price down, so you stroke it a little bit more.

Then with a small fiourish, you take out your handkerchief and wipe offyour hand.

That‘s to let ‘em know you think it‘s tip dyed and very badly.

You show the hem, Mickey. You see those seams?

Those are fully let out That means the skins were carefully expanded and matched

— How many skins to make a mink? — Four, five maybe?

Thirty—five to 75 male skins.

The female is smaller. A large animal a mink ain ’t I see.

Takes a lot ofcraftsmanship to cut andjoin all those skins. This is quality merchandise.

But you ne versa y that

You go, “Mm—hmm.“ And you say something like, “I see Feldman‘s using cheap thread again."

Yeah, I see. The grotzen is in the middle. How much would this one sell for?

About 4,000, but you shouldn‘t offer more than 600, 675 for a coat like that.

— Why‘s that? — It‘s stolen merchandise.

You might have to dye it or resty/e it before you can unload it You want to get caught selling hot minks?

What do I have to know about other kinds offurs?

Girls, put on one each ofwhichever I‘ve got left.

— What do you think,Joe? Will I sound like an expert? — Oh, yeah. In about 15 years.

Come on now, girls. [Claps Hands]

That‘s right. Go right down there, dear. This way.

[Friday Narra ting] 4:30 p. m. //efi‘ Bill with Hartman.

/ went back to the ofifice to stand by for Brucker’s call

Monday, April 7, 4.53 pm.

There was a message to call Roger Brucker.

He told me that the man who had called him said he was ready to meet with a buyer for the stolen furs.

/ told him to arrange the meet at the bar in the Bel—Air /nn.

He said the buyer was to carry a folded copy of the Sunday comic section of one of the local ne wspapers.

The time was set for the next night, Tuesday, at 8:00 p. m.

Captain Mack set up a meeting with Lieutenant Danny Bo wser,

commander of the Special Surveillance Unit

He ’d arrange for the stakeout detail at the Bel—Air /nn.

It‘s a cinch they won‘t be bringing the furs over to the hotel.

They‘ll want you to go to where they‘ve got ‘em stashed. Right.

Here‘s the setup,Joe. We‘ve got four units around the hotel, here, here, here and here.

No matter what direction you take, we‘ll be able to stay right on you. Loose tail.

— Yeah. How ‘bout in the hotel? — Lauritzen and Walters‘ll be in the next suite.

Any trouble, they‘ll hear it. Okay? That‘s it.

— No, there‘sjust one more thing. — What‘s that?

I got to dig up a copy ofthe Sunday comics.

[Friday Narra ting] / called my fiiend L eonard Rib/ett,

assistant managing editor ofthe Los Angeles Ti mes.

/to/d him what / wanted That‘s right, Len. The Sunday funny papers.

Huh? No. Never mind what I want ‘em for.

Yeah. Yeah, I‘ll let you know later. Right. Thanks, Len. Good—bye.

[Friday Narrating] Tuesday, April 8, 6:30pm.

Bill and / checked in to a suite at the Bel—Air /nn.

What do you think? I think maybe you oughta review your homework, don‘t you?

Yeah, that‘s a good idea. Where‘d I put those notes? Right there on the card table.

Hartman gave me a list ofthe stolen furs— description, prices, what to look for.

Yeah.

Boy, it‘s tough to learn the fur business in one afternoon. Hope I know enough.

Well, you don‘t have to know it all. What do you mean?

Let‘sjust hope you know more than they do.

,‘,‘[Lounge]

[Friday Narrating] 7:45 pm.

According to plan, / went downstairs to the bar.

Bourbon.

You always carry the comic section around with you? Only when I need ‘em.

You‘re early. So are you.

You the buyer? Man is up in the room.

You got the cash? You got the merchandise?

Brought a sample. We don‘t deal in samples.

I don‘t deal in hotel rooms. You got the fur that‘s burning a hole in your closet, not me.

How do I know who I‘ll find in your room? Not who. What.

Huh? We can go 100,000 big ones.

How far did you bring the money? K.C.

Know a guy named Andy Logan back there? No, and you don‘t either.

Let‘s can that two—bit checkout routine and talk fur, or else you can take that box of rabbit there and amble on.

Take it easy. You‘re the one who wants to unload.

I didn‘t come here to listen to some punk who ate a big breakfast. Just trying to play it close.

You play it any closer, it‘s gonna be behind you.

One more thing before we go to the room. What‘s that?

How do I know you and the man got that much money?

The same way we know you got that much fur.

Here‘s the errand boy. Who‘s he?

He‘s with me. Sit down.

What do you got to sell?

First quality, top—of—the—Iine. Forty—seven pieces, assorted styles.

You got something to show? How‘s this?

Autumn Haze. Fully let out. Silk brocade.

[Blows] Mm—hmm.

We might be able to do a little business.

— What are you asking for the bundle? — 80,000.

Pass.

— You‘re missing a good deal. — Who do you thinkyou‘re dealing with? I know that piece. That‘s not a stole.

It‘s a flag, and I‘m not waving it. Comes from Stuhlman and Son, New York City.

You may be a good thief, but you‘re a bad furrier.

You try to unload that, you ’// ha ve the law do wn your back before you could wrap it up.

You gotta dye it, restyle it before you can move it.

— Rest ofthe bundle the same? — I don‘t know about that. They told me to say 80,000.

Suppose you go back and tell “they“ to say again.

— You wanna make an offer? — I‘ll look first.

— What about the money? — You show me the goods. IfI like ‘em, I‘ll payC.O.D.

Take it or lea ve it

— Okay. My car‘s in the lot. —We‘ll followyou in a cab.

— I gotta make a phone call. Who shall I say I‘m bringing? — I‘ll spell it foryou.

— Go ahead. — M—O—N—E—Y.

[Friday Narra ting] 8:23 p. m. Bill and / got into a cab.

The suspect pulled up in fiont of us, and we fol/o wed him.

8'4 6 p. m. The suspect led us to the 7800 block of Barton S treet..

in Fast L os Ange/es.

[ Knocking]

Come on in.

Who‘s the buyer? Let‘s see the goods.

Who‘s he? He‘s with him.

They part ofthis deal? Yeah, it‘s a four—way split.

Let‘s get to it. 60 thou for the lot.

After we see the goods. Okay. In here.

Here it is.

Sta gey.

Split—skin here. Cheated on the collar. Brocade on one side.

[ Blows] Tip dyed. I like ‘em natural.

I‘m gonna have to recut, restyle most ofthese pieces. Have to dye some of‘em.

Cost me quite a bit to do that.

Sixty for the lot. You‘ll never beat 30.

Justa minute.

AI? Bob? You wanna come in here?

He says 30. We‘ll settle for 40. That‘s 10 each all the way around.

Closed. Call it 40. Let‘s see the green.

Cash is at the hotel. Joe here can go get it. I‘ll wait.

Sinclair, you go with him. I got a better idea. Let‘s all go. Police officers! You‘re under arrest.

Get those hands behind your head. Move! Out in the other room. Move!

All right. Now string out along that sofa.

Now freeze. Ed! Bob!

In the bedroom, Ed.

I really got to hand it toyou, Sinclair. You‘re a real pip, you are.

—Whydidn‘tyou pick up 10 in uniform? — That‘s enough ofthat. Hold the talk.

Maybe we bought those furs. Maybe they belong to us.

Yeah. Maybe you‘re Princess Margaret Rose.

Didn‘t I tell you to burn those labels good, Sinclair?

They wouldn‘t catch fire. They‘re some kind ofsynthetic. So‘s your brain.

All right. That‘s enough.

— What about our rights? Ain‘t you gonna read us our rights? — Right now.

— We all want lawyers. — You‘re gonna need ‘em.

[Friday Narra ting] 9,3 7 pm.

Before we lefi‘ the suspects’house, we called for the property van...

and had the stolen furs taken downtown to the PA.B Property Division.

Bill and / filled out the property report and listed the circumstances of the burglary and reco very.

You call Hartman? Yeah. The insurance adjustor too.

He said he‘d contact us first thing in the morning. Hartman should be here any minute.

Looks like a hundred percent recovery, doesn‘t it?

I‘d say so,judging from the count— 47 pieces.

My goods! You got ‘em back. Yes, sir.

You, nice police lady. Did you help too?

No, sir. Sergeant Friday and his partner are responsible for the recovery.

Police lady, I bet in your whole life you never had a mink.

Here— from me to you, it‘s yours.

No, sir. I‘m sorry. I can‘t accept it.

What can‘t accept? I‘m a married man.

You don‘t understand, Mr. Hartman.

Not stagey. Fully let out female skins.

My expert. It goes perfect with your uniform.

Mr. Hartman, you‘re a very nice man, but not only isn‘t it necessary,

we‘re not allowed to accept gratuities.

Who‘s giving you a gratuity? I‘m giving you a mink stole.

I really appreciate your great generosity. Thankyoujust the same.

Hmm. I was gonna give one each to your wives. I want to pay a reward.

You don‘t owe us any reward, sir. Anyway, I‘m not married.

— Do me a favor, Sergeant. — What‘s that, Mr. Hartman?

— When a man offers you a free mink— — Yes, sir?

Get married.

[Narrator] The story you ha ve just seen is true.

The names were changed to protect the innocent

On june 22, trial was held in Department 780,

Superior Court of the State of California,

in and for the County of L os Ange/es.

/n a moment, the results of that trial

The suspects were found guilty on a charge of robbery in the first degree.

Robbery in the first degree is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison...

for not less than five years.