All language subtitles for Dragnet S02E15 The Christmas Story.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en

This is the city, Los
Angeles, California.

I work here. I carry a badge.

The story you are
about to see is true.

The names have been
changed to protect the innocent.

- Hiya, Joe.
- Hi.

Picked us up a Christmas tree.

You sure did.

Well, we don't have
any decorations here,

but it sure brightens
the place up.

Christmas cards, huh?

You're a little late, aren't ya?

Well, I was gonna
send 'em out Monday,

but we had that stakeout.

You ought to get married, Joe.

- Yeah?
- Only system.

Eileen does all
this stuff for me,

mails cards,
laundry. Only system.

Might help.

Boy, you've got
quite a stack there.

Yeah, I ought to
cut down the list.

- Look at this. Upholstery shop.
- Yeah?

They send me a card every year.

I never get anything
upholstered.

Eileen and I ought
to go over our list,

cut off a few names.

Brought in your present.
Want to open it now?

No, I'll wait.

I always open a
couple the day before.

- Why?
- Puts you in the spirit
ahead of time.

Yeah, sure.

I hope it stays quiet.

I've got more shopping
to do after we get off.

I finished mine.

What'd you get your girlfriend?

Stationery set, some paper,
envelopes, leather binding.

Joe, you'll never learn.

- Now, what's the matter?
- No woman wants
a stationery set.

You get her something personal!

Well, it's got
her initials on it.

No, no, no.

You want something
more sentimental, romantic.

What'd you get Eileen?

Well, it's different
in her case.

What'd you get your wife?

A sewing machine.

That's romantic.

Well, it is, in a way.

Why didn't you buy
her a catcher's mitt?

Burglary-Auto Theft, Friday.

Yes. Yes, that's right.

No, you have the
right department.

I see.

All right, Father, we'll be out.

No, you can tell
us about it there.

Goodbye.

The old Mission Church
out in San Fernando.

Why are they calling here?

That's Foothill Division
territory. They'll handle it.

Well, we can make
the preliminary.

We're not that busy.
They've had a theft.

Collection money?

A statue of the Child Jesus.

Bill and I checked
out of the office

and drove out to the San
Fernando Mission Church.

It was an old church.

The padres from
down in Mexico built it.

The devout
Mexicans in the Valley

still attended services there.

We asked for
Father Xavier Rojas,

who had telephoned us.

We were told he was inside.

We found Father Rojas
up near the sanctuary.

He told us about the crypt.

It was a $70 duplication
of the scene at Bethlehem.

The parishioners had
taken up a collection for it

31 years ago.

It was put up every
year on December 22nd

and taken down
after the holy season.

It was beautiful,

except that one of the wise
men had a chipped face,

a donkey was old and cracked,

and the infant
Jesus was missing.

I'm sorry to bother you men.

That's all right, Father.

Especially now,
the holiday season.

We cash our checks, Father.

Is there anything more you
can tell us about the theft?

Well, I discovered
the statue was missing

right after the 6:00 mass.

Did you say the 6?

Yes, I started
over to the rectory,

and I stopped by the crypt.

Was the statue
there before mass?

I don't know, but it
was there last night.

- How late is the church open?
- All night.

You leave it wide open,
so any thief can walk in?

Particularly thieves, Sergeant.

You say it was there
last night, Father?

How late?

10:00 or 11:00.
We had confessions.

And no one saw it after that?

One of the altar boys, he
says it may have been there.

He thinks it was.

Did he see it?
Well, he's not sure.

- What's his name?
- I have the schedule
in the sacristy.

Right this way, please.

Here's the schedule.

You'll find the names
for every mass there.

Thank you, Father.

Was there a big crowd
at the 6:00 mass?

Not too many.

7's the big one, people
on their way to work.

Did anyone stay after
mass, did you notice?

Not especially.

I came back here,
took off the vestments.

I suppose it was
10 or 15 minutes

before I went
back in the church.

It was empty then?

No, people were
coming in for the 7:00.

Are these the altar boys?

James Cornine
and John Heffernan?

That's right. The
Heffernan boy's the one

who mentioned it
might have been there.

Did you check with the
other priests, Father?

Before I called you,

and none of them
knows anything about it.

Just for a check
on the pawn shops,

how much is the statue worth?

In money?

Well, that's the point
in pawn shops, Father.

Only a few dollars.

We could get a new one,
but it wouldn't be the same.

We've had children
in the parish.

They've grown up and married.

It's the only Jesus they know.

We understand.

And we've had children who died.

It was the only Jesus they knew.

So many of the people who
come here are simple people.

They wouldn't
understand, Sergeant.

It would be like
changing the evening star.

We'll do our best, Father.

That's why it would mean
so much to have it back

for the first mass on Christmas.

Well, that's not
very long, Father.

Less than 24 hours.

Well, if anything turns up here,

you know where to
get in touch with us.

Yes. It's sad, isn't it?

- How's that?
- In so short a time,
men learn to steal.

- Yes, but consider us, Father.
- Us?

If some of them didn't,
you and I'd be out of work.

10:50 a.m. We notified
Pawn Shop Detail.

We gave them a description
of the missing object,

the approximate time
and place of the theft.

A few minutes later, Bill and I
checked out the two altar boys.

The first one, James Cornine,

said that he knew
nothing about it.

After mass, he'd gone
out the sacristy door

and come straight
home for breakfast.

The second one, John
Heffernan, was not home.

His father said he
had a part-time job.

He'd have him get in
touch with us after lunch.

By 11:30 a.m., we'd run
out of book procedure.

We had a man to find.

Our only clue:
he'd been to church.

Caught me in the middle
of a big chess match.

- Where's your partner?
- Up in San Jose.

- We've been playing for years.
- I see.

No, just two or three
months on this one.

What I meant was we've been
playing different matches for years.

I see.

You know, we do
it through the mail.

I send him a move, and
then he sends me one.

Must keep you on your toes.

Ah, except during the holidays.

Mail gets all fiddled
up. That's no good.

I guess not.

Slows things down.
That's no good.

I like to catch him off-guard.

Are you Mr. Flavin?

How'd you know? We never met.

Your name's on the window.

Oh, yeah.

Mr. Flavin, we checked
the other two religious stores

in this neighborhood.
They're closed.

This is the best one
anyway. 50% European items.

We're checking the stores
around the Mission Church.

For what?

Statue of the Child Jesus.

Do you have one
we could look at?

Sure. I know what you want.

I've got just what you're
looking for right down here.

No, sir, a larger one.

You don't want a larger
one unless it's for a church.

That's where you
want a larger one.

Could we see it, please?

I guess.

It's not my due to butt in,

but unless you
live in a big place,

this is gonna make your
living room all akilter.

Yes, sir. Do most of the people

who go to the Mission
Church trade here?

A good many of them,
especially the kids.

- Why kids?
- More religious.

Check on it yourself.

See if kids aren't
more religious than you.

Might be so.

That's what's
wrong with the world!

No, I don't mean you're
wrong with it, everybody.

Yes, sir. I wonder if we could
stick to the point, Mr. Flavin.

Sure. A lot of people from the
Mission Church come in here.

Do people ever come in and
sell back a religious article?

Like a prayer book or rosaries?

Yes, sir.

- Secondhand, you mean?
- Yes, sir.

Not since I ever
been around. It's silly.

Why?

People don't have
religious articles

so they can get rid of them.

They have them so
they can have 'em.

But if a man had a statue
and wanted to sell it,

he'd come to a place like this.

Sure, but he
wouldn't want to sell it.

He would, if it was stolen.

No, sir!

If a man was to steal a statue,

he'd be crazy or
something like that.

The only place he'd want to
go is where crazy people are.

You may be right, Mr. Flavin.

I don't know what you
fellas are looking for,

but if it's somebody
who stole a statue,

he's crazy, and
you won't find him.

You won't find him
as long as you live,

or in a million years.

That should cover it.

We continued to
check religious stores

as far out as the
town of San Fernando.

We asked the same questions.

The owners gave
us the same answers,

but none of them were as
encouraging as Mr. Flavin.

Bill and I had lunch and
reported back to the office.

It was 1:30 p.m.

Friday, Gannon, I just
checked for you in the cafeteria.

We've been on that
theft out at the mission.

Well, we may get some
action on that Bel Air jewel heist.

They locate Patterson?

They think he's on a bus
coming down from Sacramento.

That means
Bakersfield detectives.

We'll wait and see.

Are one of you fellas
Sergeant Friday?

That's right, son.

I'm John Heffernan.

My father said you
wanted to see me.

You didn't have to come in.

A phone call would've worked.

Sit down, son.

Ah, my father
said to get on over.

He says any kid that
uses phones is lazy.

We want to ask you
about this morning.

Did you serve 6:00 mass?

Yes, sir. I'm senior
boy, so I get the 6.

You're senior, and
you take the early trick?

Yes, sir. That way, if
you receive communion,

you get to have
breakfast sooner.

Father Rojas says you think

the statue was
there before mass.

I didn't look, but I have
a feeling it was there.

A feeling?

You know, how you have
a feeling about something,

but you're not sure.

Did you stay around
long after mass?

I put out the candles,
hung up my surplus.

How long would that take?

About five minutes, maybe.

Did any of the people
at mass stay on?

Some of them always
do, especially ladies.

Oh?

Well, maybe they
don't finish in time,

or else they start new prayers.

I don't know.

When you left, there was
still some women there?

No, sir. That was at first.

After I went back
to the sacristy,

there was just this
one man. What man?

Well he comes to
6:00 all the time.

- Do you know his name?
- No, sir, but he works
out near the Mission,

you know, miniature golf place.

Could you describe him?

Well, sort of medium.

He was wearing a
suit that didn't match.

Didn't match?

You know, different
pants than coat.

How about his age?

Well, he was pretty old.

Take a guess.

About 40, maybe.

There was nothing
particular about him.

Then why'd you notice him?

Ah, I'd seen him before...
And the bundle, I guess.

- The bundle?
- Out in front.

I saw him when
he was coming out.

He had this bundle, and
then he almost dropped it.

How large a bundle?

It's hard to say.

Come on, son. Was
it large or small?

The size of the statue?

About that big, yes, sir.

We located the
miniature golf course.

The suspect didn't
work there anymore,

but we found out his
name was Claude Stroup,

and we got his address.

2:25 p.m. We arrived
at Stroup's address.

It was a hotel for
men, mostly old men,

mostly down and outers.

It was called The Golden Dream.

Police officers. We're
looking for Claude Stroup.

I hope Claude didn't
get in any trouble.

So do we. Is he in?

No. He's got room 307.

You can check, if you'd like.

- We'll take your word.
- Were you on this morning?

- Hm?
- Did you have the early shift?

We don't have shifts.
My uncle owns the place.

I'm the shift.

Did Stroup spend
last night here?

Came in about 11:00.

When'd he leave this morning?

Around 6:00, maybe before.

- Did he come back after?
- 8:00 or so, then left.

Supposed to be back at 10.

Then pulls this trick.

- What trick?
- Our program.

He knows the other
fellas need him.

Program?

Here at the hotel.

Every Christmas,
we have a program,

put up a tree and sing.

They're mostly old fellas.

Singing like that makes
them remember back

when they were kids.

Then Jimmy Finn comes on.

- Jimmy Finn?
- He shares number 409.

His family once
had a lot of money,

so he tells the fellas about
it, stories about Christmas,

how they had this big log,

and his grandfather
used to start it up,

and after dinner, everybody
turned over his plate,

and there underneath

was a $20 gold piece,
a brand new one.

When Stroup came in this
morning, did he have a bundle?

- I didn't see him come in.
- You said you saw him.

I saw him go out
after, but not come in.

- When was that?
- 8:00.

If you want to
look for a bundle,

I could give you his key.

We don't have a warrant.

Oh, that's all right.
I know about police.

It's all right with me.

- It's not with us.
- I didn't mean that.

I just meant it was
all right with me.

♪ Good King Wenceslas looked
out on the feast of Stephen ♪

♪ When the snow
lay round about ♪

♪ Deep and crisp and even ♪

♪ Brightly shone
the moon that night ♪

♪ Though the frost was cruel ♪

♪ When a poor
man came in sight ♪

♪ gathering... ♪

Excuse me, please.

♪ ...winter fuel ♪

This is their last rehearsal.

They've got most of
the songs down pat.

- Sounds pretty good.
- Yeah.

That's why it's a
shame Claude isn't here.

He's tenor, and they need
him to make it sound just right.

Does Stroup have a job?

No, sir. He used to have jobs.

Not much lately, though.

Did he say where he was going?

No, he should've. The
fellas sure need him.

When he comes
in, will you call us?

Sure. And not say
anything to him?

That's right.

I hope it's nothing
serious for Claude.

The fella's troubles
ought to be over.

Troubles?

- Way back, wouldn't count now.
- Tell us anyway.

It was something back
where he used to live.

He robbed somebody or something.

- What else?
- That's all.

It was a long time
ago, way far back,

but he forgot it all, the
robbing and everything.

- No, not quite.
- Hm?

He remembered it this morning.

We ran Stroup's
name through R & I.

If he'd been booked
anywhere, we had no record of it,

at least not under that name.

4:15 p.m. Pawn Shop
Detail reported back.

Up until that time, no
object resembling the statue

of the Child Jesus
had been turned in.

Patterson was on
that Sacramento bus.

I thought Bakersfield
detectives were gonna cover.

They did. They
pulled him off the bus.

You two take a run up
there and pick him up.

Well, that's over
100 miles, Skipper.

Oh, freeway most of the way.

You'll make it up and
back under three hours.

- That will be after 6:00.
- So?

We're still on that theft out
at the San Fernando Mission.

What are you doing
messing around out there?

That's Foothill Division.
Let them handle it.

Well, we've carried it this far.

We'd kind of like
to see it through.

What are you looking for?

A statue of the Child Jesus.

Somebody took it
from the Nativity scene.

What is it, a $10,
$15 chalk statue?

Since when does the
price determine a case?

I realize it's a church statue,

but that doesn't
give it priority.

Besides, Foothill's got
some good men out there

that can turn a statue
as fast as you two.

It's important to them, Captain.

Joe and I promised
to get it back.

What have you got on it?

Well, nothing much so far.

Well, why are you
so big-hearted?

Burglary, Friday.

Yeah, right. No,
don't say a thing.

Right.

Claude Stroup, he just
walked into the hotel.

He looks like a good suspect.

He'll keep. You can
run him down tomorrow.

No, sir. It'll be too late then.

They need it for mass
first thing in the morning.

It's kind of a big thing
for them, Captain.

I'm sorry. I can't juggle
manpower around

so you can get a statue back.

If there's time later
on, we'll do our best.

Yes, sir.

You'd better gas up
and head for Bakersfield.

Yes, sir. Would
you call Father Rojas

- out at the old Mission Church?
- Why?

Tell him we're too busy
to work on the statue.

But we'll do it later, tomorrow,

or whenever we get a chance.

Why can't you call him?

Well, we'd better
get up to Bakersfield.

Like you said.

All right, I'll call him.

Gannon, Friday.

Yes, sir?

I can send Johnson
and Miller up.

You might as well
stay on that other thing.

Whatever you say, Captain.

4:43 p.m., we arrived at
The Golden Dream Hotel.

The desk clerk was right.

Claude Stroup looked like a man

who'd had his troubles
at bargain rates.

You Claude Stroup?

- Yes, sir.
- Police officers.

I didn't do nothing
against the law.

Honest, I didn't do
nothing against it.

You haven't been accused.

We want to talk to you downtown.

No, sir, I'm not going!
I'm not going anyplace,

and I'm not gonna
talk to nobody!

You're half wrong already.

5:15 p.m. We took
Stroup to the office.

On the way, we
advised him of his rights.

He kept his word.
He refused to talk.

6:05 p.m. Bill called Eileen,

told her he'd be a little late.

Stroup didn't move
for a whole hour.

He sat and stared,
but he didn't talk.

6:40 p.m. we got a final
report from Pawn Shop Detail.

The shops were closed.
There was no statue.

Stroup still hadn't talked.

Don't you ever want
to go home, Stroup?

If I was to talk, you
wouldn't let me go.

That depends on what you'd say.

I'd say it wrong. I
wouldn't get home.

You won't this way, either.

I'd like to go. You
can bet on that.

This is the seventh year we've
had the program at the hotel,

and I never missed a
one, not a single one.

Why don't you tell us
what happened, Stroup?

How would I know
you'd let me go?

You wouldn't.

Oh, I might as well anyway.

All right, what
happened, from mass on?

Well, there was mass.

I came out, and I started
down toward the hotel.

Back up.

I left my stuff at the hotel,

and then I picked
up George's car.

I didn't steal it.

He said I could have
it any time I wanted,

only this time I didn't ask him.

I just took it and started out.

I guess I should've
asked, but I just didn't.

I went over to Grand Avenue
for the Christmas bulbs,

you know, where this
fella sells 'em secondhand.

It was coming out
of that lot that I did it.

Did what?

The bumper must've
caught the other car.

Didn't leave too big a dent,
but there was this long scratch.

I got out, and I tried to wipe
it off with my handkerchief.

You know, I spit on it like,
only it didn't do no good.

I didn't think anybody saw it.

I don't know how you
fellas found out about it.

I'll check traffic records.

Okay, Stroup. We didn't
bring you down here

to talk about that.

- You didn't?
- No.

There's a statue
missing from the church,

a statue of the Child Jesus.

You mean I took it?

You took a bundle
out of the church.

Yes, sir.

That was my other pants
for the program tonight.

I had a place sewed up,
and there was a button off.

You can check! But I
wouldn't take a statue.

I don't think you would, either.

Thanks.

He's cleared traffic records.

Go on home.

For the program?
You mean, it's all right?

Good night, Stroup.

Good night.

Merry Christmas.

- Where to?
- Oh, I don't know.

We could stay and
work on it tonight.

It wouldn't do any good, Joe.

We won't find it.

I don't think so.

No use kidding that
priest, build his hopes up.

Might as well go tell him now.

Merry Christmas.

7:27 p.m. We arrived at
the old Mission Church.

Bill told Father
Rojas how it was,

that we couldn't get the
statue back by morning,

but we'd keep trying
during the week.

He said he understood.

We told him we had to get on.

Paquito?

Padre Rojas.

It's Paquito Mendoza.

He's a boy from the parish.

Well, ask him where he found it.

He says he didn't
find it. He took it.

Why?

He says that all
through the years,

he's prayed for a red wagon.

This year, he prayed
to the Child Jesus.

He promised that if
he got the red wagon,

the Child Jesus would
have the first ride in it.

He wants to know if the devil
will come and take him to hell.

That's your department, Father.

I don't understand how
he got the wagon today.

Don't kids wait for
Santa Claus anymore?

It's not from Santa Claus.

The firemen fix the old toys
and give them to new children.

Paquito's family, they're poor.

Are they, Father?