All language subtitles for Dragnet S03E21 Frauds (DR-28).DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en

This is the city.

Los Angeles, California.

In the rolling hills just
above Sunset Boulevard

lies the exclusive
community of Bel Air.

It all looks quiet and serene

just as it did on the morning
of November 6, 1961.

On that day Fire Chief Sawyer received a
call about a small brush fire in the area.

The fire raged out of
control for three days.

It consumed 484
houses, 21 buildings,

and destroyed 6000
acres of watershed.

The fire was finally
controlled, not one life was lost.

Bel Air has rebuilt its houses and
most of the burn scars have been healed.

Nature can sometimes
create havoc for a city,

so can some of its people.

When they do, I go to work.

I carry a badge.

The story you're
about to see is true.

The names have been
changed to protect the innocent.

It was Thursday, October 24th.

We were working the day
watch out of Frauds Division.

The boss is Captain Frankel.

My partner is Bill Gannon.

My name is Friday.

We had just concluded a
case involving a trick card artist.

It was a simple bungle but a
lucrative one for the swindler.

Fifty victims had paid $5 each

for a fast look at a quick
changing playing card.

Hard to believe this joke's store
novelty could earn 200 bucks.

Yeah.

Simple kid's magic gimmick,

sliding panels
built in to the card.

Push up, king of hearts,
push down, queen of spades.

The guy who invented playing cards came
up with 52 licenses to steal didn't he?

Yeah. Hand me that arrest
report will you. Thank you.

Frauds' Division, Friday.

Yes, sir that's correct.

The machine did what sir?

Yes, sir I understand.

And what is your name?

Yes, sir. Friday,
Sergeant Friday.

In about 15 minutes.
Yes, sir. Goodbye.

- Department of Employment.
- You thinking of changing jobs?

- Their computer came up with a
message.
- What do you mean?

Seems a man has been collecting
disability checks for the past six months.

- Something wrong with that?
- Yeah, a little.

The man's been
dead for nearly a year.

10:30 a.m.

We arrived at the
Department of Employment.

The supervisor of Data Processing
was the man who had called us.

His name was Harvey Peterson.

He was waiting for us
in the Computer Section.

All disability claims are first recorded
as you can see on these computer cards.

And now, let's
step across the hall.

The next step is to place those cards into
a card reader, which puts them on tape.

This is the card reader.

Now, the information on those cards
has been placed on magnetic tape.

Is that right?

The card reader is connected
by way of wires to this machine,

the central processor.

We call it the memory.

The information from the card

is loaded into the memory

and the computer
validates the data.

Validates the data?

Well, for example it checks
that the Social Security Number

has the required 9 digits.

After it's been validated, it's
written on the magnetic tape.

That's the magnetic
tape machine.

Rewind it and it places
the information in sequence.

In sequence?

In order according to Social
Security Number for instance.

And from there,

it goes to our
high speed printer.

Now that you have some small inkling
of what these machines are all about,

let's show you what
turned up this morning.

Mike.

That's our console typewriter.

We use it for communicating
with the computers.

Mike is requesting information on
the Social Security Number in question.

The computer is now
searching for that record.

Illegal transaction. Reason for
rejection: Record marked deceased.

Is it possible that someone punched
the wrong Social Security Number?

We checked it out.

The Social Security Number
on the disability claim matched.

But that number belonged to a Tom
Mavis and Mr. Mavis died last November.

Now, the name in this
card is Robert F. Rosen

and this Rosen whoever he
is has collected disability claim

checks for six months
according to our records.

Now how come the computer
didn't say anything before now?

Because the computer had never
been notified that Mavis had passed on.

As far as the computer
knew, that Social

Security Number was
still on the active list.

Why was that?

Well that's what we'd
like you to find out.

It was 11:15.

We went up to Peterson's office.

When Mr. Mavis died, that fact should
have been written on a form like this.

Then it would have been
registered on a computer card,

which in turn would
have coded the fact

that his Social Security
Number was invalid,

that it was no longer active.

But the computer never
received that information.

It knows now. Why is that?

Look Sergeant Friday, this
morning Mavis' widow came in,

after all this time, because
she thought her husband hadn't

received the last disability
check he was entitled to.

Now, it was at that time that we discovered
that Mavis' Social Security Number

had only been placed on
the inactive file a month ago.

Before that, it had
been very active indeed.

It couldn't have been
an honest mistake?

No Officer Gannon, the
checks have been cashed.

Well then someone intercepted
the form that would have

notified the computer
of Mavis' death.

And reassigned his
Social Security Number.

That's what we think.
Just no other way.

Is it hard to get hold of these death
notices before they reach the computer?

Anyone in the department
could do it, if he set his mind to it.

- How's that sir?
- We're supposed to be here to
help others.

Someone has been
helping himself.

- Maybe there's another problem.
- What's that?

The way it looks to me,
there could be any number

of phony claims going through
that we don't even know about.

11:35 a.m.

Bill and I drove out to
8148 Granger Avenue.

According to the information
on the computer card,

that was the address
of Robert F. Rosen.

No Rosen listed here.

Here's the manager
Ferguson, apartment A.

Yeah? You fellas
looking for an apartment?

Got a nice upstairs corner,
two bedrooms, plenty of sun.

- You're Mr. Ferguson?
- Ain't ashamed to admit it.

Police officers. This is Bill
Gannon. My name is Friday.

- Then you're not looking
for an apartment?
- No, sir.

We're looking for a
man with the name of

Robert F. Rosen. We
understand he lives here.

- No. He lived here.
- He moved?

- About a month ago I'd say.
- How long did he live here?

Oh, five, six months.

- Did he leave any forwarding
address?
- No.

- Could you describe him?
- Yeah.

- Oh, would you describe him?
- Yeah.

Yup, about my height, my
weight, maybe a few pounds less.

Around 5'9 ", 5'10", 160 pounds?

About. Kind of long blond
hair and a little pointy beard.

He wore sunglasses.

Would you say he was a hippie?

Not exactly. Too old for that.

Must be about 35.

I just figured he was in
show business, you now.

Did he live here alone?

It was just him all right,

but I wouldn't hardly
say he lived here.

He never exactly got
around to moving in.

Well, how's that?

Well, he just came by once

in awhile to check his mailbox.

Didn't that strike you
as a little strange?

It did, but I don't nose
into my tenant's business.

Is that right?

Paid his rent on
time, paid cash too.

No wear or tear
on the apartment.

And you couldn't ask
for a quieter tenant.

All right, sir, I wonder if we
might see a copy of Rosen's lease.

Oh, I don't bother with leases.

Just a mess of paperwork.

Ain't no trick to break a
lease so why bother with them

is the way I look at them.

First and last month's
rent is all I ask for.

Nowadays everyone has
got ants in his breeches.

No one sits still
for a year at a time.

Now, a lease is ain't
worth the paper it's printed.

I see. Anything else you
can tell me about this Rosen?

Hmmm, no.

I think I just about covered
that particular subject.

Now what is it you want him for?

Routine investigation.

Uh-huh, well maybe
you ought to question

the Green Palms
Apartment while you're at it.

Why is that?

Well, Howie Levin he
manages the Green Palms,

big place, corner of
Sunrise and Cedar.

I was mentioning to
him at the last meeting

in the North Hollywood
Apartment Owners' Association

that I had this strange
bird Rosen renting from me.

Would you go on please?

I told him I was getting 125

a month rent just
for my mailbox.

And old Howie topped me.

Is that right?

Yeah, he told me he had
the same sort of tenant

over at the Green
Palms paying him 140.

I'll tell you boys tenants

like that don't grow on trees.

12:03 p.m., we drove over to
the Green Palms Apartments

to talk to Howard Levin.

I'm Howie Levin, the
manager of the Green Palms.

Yes sir. Police
officers Mr. Levin.

0 Is anything the matter?
- No sir.

We'd just like to ask
you a few questions.

Well, I'd invite you in,

but I just put all my
furniture in my last vacancy.

All I got left is a rug.

We could sit on
that if you want to.

No, sir, we can talk out here.

Fine. What can I do to help you?

We understand from your
friend Mr. Ferguson that you have

a tenant who rents an apartment,
but only uses his mailbox.

Oh, Cooper, Arnold Cooper.

He's not my tenant
anymore, not that he ever was.

Like you say, he
only used the mailbox.

When did he stop
using it Mr. Levin?

It's been about a month.

I can check if you
need the exact date.

How long did he pay you rent?

I'd say four months.

Can you describe him?

Well, as you know...

He was about 40 years old and
he wore horn-rimmed glasses

and he had a
hearing aid in his ear.

What about his
height and weight?

Oh, about 6'1" I guess.

How much did he weigh?

Oh, I'm not too good on weights.

Well, was he fat? Was he thin?

Medium.

Did Cooper have a lease?

No, Mr. Tatley, he's the owner

of the Green Palms.

He doesn't require leases.

Did Cooper leave a
forwarding address for his mail?

No, sir, he did not.

All right, sir,

I'm going to leave
you one of our cards.

If you should think of
anything, we'd appreciate a call.

Sure thing.

Sergeant Joe Faraday.

No sir, that's Friday.

Sure.

What did this Cooper fellow
do? What do you want him for?

We just want to ask
him a few questions.

I see.

Thank you very much for
your cooperation Mr. Levin.

Anytime.

Is this going to
be in the papers?

We wouldn't know about that sir.

Well, I'll give you one

of our cards Sergeant Faraday.

Oh, that's yours.

I'd sure appreciate it if you
pass it along to the reporters.

We advertise in the classifieds,

but a mention on the front
page never hurt no one.

As Mr. Tatley says,

"Free advertising is the
best money can buy."

1:45 p.m., we returned

to the Department of Employment.

The MO of Arnold Cooper
matched that of Robert F. Rosen

so we had Peterson
run a check on his name.

The computer
confirmed our suspicions.

14 disability claim
checks had been mailed

to Arnold Cooper at the
Sunrise Street address.

I check on Cooper's
Social Security Number

indicated that it had once
belonged to a Bernard L. Kramer.

Illegal transaction.

Reason for rejection:
Record marked deceased.

If the computer knows that
this Bernard L. Kramer is dead,

why was it sending
out checks to Cooper?

I don't get it Mr. Peterson.

Well, again, the computer
apparently only found out recently.

In other words, whoever has been
intercepting the notices of death,

keeping the information
from the computers,

sooner or later sends
the information along.

Is that right?

As soon as the suspects
figured their landlords

may start getting
too suspicious,

they move to another apartment

with another name and
another Social Security Number.

And whoever their
inside contact is

simply brings the computer
up to date by sending along

the death form with
a new date on it.

You said suspects.

Looks that way. So far we
have at least Rosen and Cooper

and who knows how many
others we don't know about?

Is there any way for us to
unwind this thing at your end?

- How do you mean?
- Well is there some way for us
to find out who's been

supplying these people with
the Social Security Numbers?

How many employees do you have
who might have access to the files?

Hundreds.

Just about anyone who
works in any of our offices.

I guess that doesn't narrow
it down very much doesn't it?

No sir, I'm afraid not.

You know Mr. Peterson,

maybe it's true what you read.

I mean about computers eventually
putting everyone out of work.

No sir, there'll always be
work for people who build

and design them and those
who run maintenance on them,

and of course those who
feed information into them.

And, as long as there
are people who can get

rich by not feeding the
information into them.

- Yes?
- We'll never be out of work.

Since our only two leads
had Valley addresses,

we decided to attend
the monthly meeting

of the North Hollywood
Apartment Owner's Association.

May I have your
attention for a minute?

Before we adjourn for
coffee and doughnuts,

Sergeant Joe Friday of the
Los Angeles Police Department

has a few words for
us. Sergeant Friday?

Thank you Mr. Hanks.

We're faced with a problem.

Now maybe you folks can help us.

If any of you are renting
apartments to people

who are suspicious
we'd like to know about it.

Specifically, people who don't live
in the apartments after renting them,

but who just come
around to pick up their mail.

Now, if you've had
any such tenants,

please be good
enough to tell us.

If you get any in the
future, please notify us.

I'm going to leave some
of our cards with Mr. Hanks.

It has our telephone
number on it.

We'd appreciate a call.
Thank you very much.

- Thank you Sergeant.
- Sergeant Friday?

Yes, sir?

I had a tenant like
that a few months ago.

You want to tell us about it?

Well, it's like you said,
he never exactly moved in.

He just came by
to collect his mail.

What was his name?

Jackson. Gary Jackson.

Could you describe him?

Ordinary looking guy.

Late 30s I'd figure, about 6'1",

- medium build.
- What color of hair?

Blond. Wore a crew cut.

He was an ordinary looking
fella except for that scar.

What kind of scar?

Oh, it was a doozy.

It ran halfway down his
face, shrapnel wound.

Got it in Korea.

Now, you told us this Jackson

didn't live in the
apartment after he rented it.

Didn't you ever wonder why?

I never had a chance to wonder.

I never saw him after he rented.

And then he moved out.

My name is Grange.

I own 24 units at Heavenly
Arms over on Ryder place.

I had a tenant like you were
talking about... about a year ago.

Name was Bunsen.

He came and went
two or three months.

Just came by to
collect his mail.

You remember
what he looked like?

A little taller than
you as I recall.

Had a big nose.

Any marks or scars?

No, but that nose
you wouldn't forget.

You wouldn't ever forget it.

I got a tenant now he's
got big ears like an elephant.

Yes, sir. Thank you very much.

Anytime.

Officers my name
is Elvira Norton.

I want to cooperate.

Yes, ma'am, do you have
any information for us?

I certainly do.

I want you to know
if I ever have a tenant

like the one you
described, I'll surely call you.

Well, thank you very
much, Ms. Norton.

We'd appreciate that.

Just want to do my part.

- Yes, ma'am.
- I even have one of those
"Support Your Local Police"

bumper stickers
on my front door.

On your front door?

I don't drive.

Monday, November 18th.

Over three weeks had gone by.

Peterson had confirmed
that both Bunsen and Jackson

had received
disability claim checks

from the Department
of Employment.

But no new leads had
developed on the case.

2:15 p.m.

A lot of things don't
square on this one Joe.

Like what?

I can't exactly
put my finger on it.

Well, usually we don't
have anything to go on.

This time, I have the feeling
we almost have too much.

We have all these descriptions,
Rosen, Cooper, Bunsen, Jackson.

Not one of them has
turned up in our mug file.

I know. It's been
bugging me too.

There are just too many
people involved in this one.

This is the sort of job that calls
for two, maybe three people.

We've already got five figuring
whoever is working on the inside.

- No, it doesn't make sense.
- I know.

And these descriptions,
listen to them again.

Rosen: Long blond hair,
Van Dyke beard, sunglasses.

Cooper: horn-rimmed
glasses, hearing aid.

Jackson had a scar.

Bunsen had a nose
like Jimmy Durante.

The next one will probably be the
tattooed man or he'll have two heads.

Are you thinking what
I think you're thinking?

Just a hunch pal.

I'm guessing when you take
away the sunglasses and the beard

and the scar and all the rest of
that stuff, you've got one man.

I think you might be right.

Besides from their
various trademarks,

the descriptions of
all five are pretty close.

Medium built.

About 6 feet, 6'1".

You think the guy is an actor?

Yeah, he could be an actor

or maybe somebody who got
a makeup kit for his birthday.

I don't think it'd hurt to pick up
those cancelled checks from Peterson

and let Frank in Questioned
Documents analyze the handwriting.

Right now.

2:45 p.m., we arrived

at the Department of Employment.

Peterson gave us the cancelled
checks which had been signed

by suspects Rosen,
Cooper, Bunsen, and Jackson.

3:15 p.m.

We went back to
the police building.

We took the cancelled
checks directly to Frank Silver

in the Questioned
Documents Section of SID.

- Hi, Frank.
- Joe, Bill what's up?

Got a few signatures we'd like you
to take a look at if you got a minute?

Sure thing. Forgery?

No hints Frank.
You're on your own.

Fair enough. Uh-huh.

Muddy E's, big loops,

double loops on
the O's, nice slant.

Well, gents, what
would you like to know?

How many people are
we dealing with on this?

One, Joe.

You're positive Frank?

Definitely.

There's been no attempt
to disguise the signature.

Here look for yourselves.

Look at the E's in Robert Rosen

and compare them to the E's in
Jerry Bunsen and Arnold Cooper.

Look how muddy
all those E's are.

There's no wide
space in the letter at all.

And notice how all the O's
have double loops at the top...

Very unusual.

And yet all four names
share that characteristic.

See?

There are O's in all of them.

See how they all
have double loops?

Yeah.

Unusual. And here,

notice how lush and full
all the letters with loops are.

The J in Jackson,
the J in Jerry,

the P in Cooper.

And all the capital letters
are extremely full blown.

Do you notice how oddly
proportionate they are

- to the lower case letters?
- Yeah.

In addition to which,

all the signatures have exactly
the same angle and slant.

One man.

He'd never make
it in forgery, Joe.

Well, now don't you
worry about him, Frank.

He's been doing
just great in frauds.

3:35 p.m., We went
back to Frauds Division.

Frauds Division, Friday.

Yes, ma'am I remember.

Yes? Yes, Mrs. Norton?

Uh-huh.

Yes, ma'am you
did exactly right.

All right, now try to stall him as long as
you can without making him suspicious.

We'll be right over. Yes, ma'am.

It's Elvira Norton, the lady we met at
the North Hollywood Apartment's meeting.

She rented an apartment
to someone named

Clarence Fischer
about three weeks ago.

He never moved in.

Today, he came by
to pick up his mail.

She's stalling him
in her apartment.

She got his license number.

You think this
Fischer's our boy?

If he's got muddy E's
and big loops, he's our boy.

We called communications

and requested a rolling
make on the license number

Elvira Norton had given us.

The car was registered to a Peggy
Thompson, 4211 Carmel Avenue.

I tried to stall
him, but he left.

I'll check this Thompson
woman out with Peterson.

And while he's at it have him
check on Clarence Fischer.

I was outside and
I saw him drive up.

That's when I copied
down his license number.

He took a letter
from his mailbox.

He was getting ready to leave
when I asked him in to my apartment.

I told him the Apartment
Owners Association had requested

information from all of its
members regarding their tenants.

Age, place of birth,
that sort of thing.

You know, like a survey?

I was afraid he
was going to leave

when I came out here
in the hall to phone you.

He was still in there
when I got back,

but I could see he was impatient

and I didn't want
him to get suspicious.

Yes, ma'am you
did the right thing.

He seems like a
very nice young man.

He says he's just waiting
for his wife and family

to drive off in Florida before
moving into his apartment.

Could you describe him?

He's quite tall.

Has a limp poor man.

A limp?

Yes, he hurt himself surfing

when he was in Florida.

He was a surfing champion

of all Florida
before his injury.

Oh, and he had
those funny sideburns.

What do you call
them lamb chops?

- Mutton chops?
- That's it.

I talked to Peterson.

According to the computer

Clarence Fischer was mailed
a disability check yesterday.

- Must be that surfing injury.
- Yes, ma'am.

Peggy Thompson works for
the Department of Employment.

- Been there five years.
- Yeah.

I got a good description
of the girl to go on.

Peterson says she
left work early today.

She seemed upset.

She's got a reason to be.

The Department of Employment

had given Bill Peggy
Thompson's address.

4:45 p.m.

We arrived at her apartment.

- Is that you honey?
- No sweetheart. Police officers.

I didn't call the police.

You should have
called your barber.

All right, stand still.

What's this all about?

- He's clean.
- What's your name?

- Paul Nichols.
- How long you lived here?

Why all the questions?

Oh, we've got more Nichols.

We have questions about
Social Security Numbers

and disability claims
and empty apartments.

A lot of questions.

Now if they get too tough,
you ask your friends for help.

My friends?

Bunsen, Jackson,
Rosen, Cooper, Fischer,

oh, and let's not forget
Peggy Thompson.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

It's my duty to inform
you that you have the right

to remain silent
during all questioning.

If you waive that right,

anything you say can and will be
used against you in the court of law.

You have the right to the presence
of an attorney during all questioning.

If you cannot afford one,
one will be appointed for you.

Now do you understand that?

Sure, but I don't understand
what you're doing here.

I haven't done anything.

Disability checks.

One made out to Clarence
Fischer and a new one Tom Malcolm.

Now do you know
what we're doing here?

Peggy had nothing to do with it.

It was all my idea.

Peggy never wanted
to do it. She's innocent.

That's not up to us to decide.

What did we do
that was so terrible?

We weren't even greedy.

In two years, we've
only taken about $40,000.

Most people would
have taken a lot more.

Correction fella, most people
wouldn't have taken anything.

What's $40,000 to
the State of California?

It's called embezzlement.

The suspects were tried
and convicted of violation

of the State Penal
Code Section 504,

Embezzlement of Public Funds.

The penalty prescribed
by law is imprisonment

in the state prison for
not less than one year

nor more than 10 years.