[store.radi...pirits.com], [goldie.fm], [goldie.fm]

DRAGNET: THE BIG PAINT and THE BIG FRAUD

This week on 1001 Radio Crime Solvers, Jack Webb returns as Sergeant Joe Friday, with Ben Alexander as his partner Frank Smith, in two classic cases involving organized theft and an especially brazen confidence racket.

THE BIG PAINT

Episode: 218
Original broadcast date: October 20, 1953 [goldie.fm], [comicbookplus.com]

Summary

Joe Friday and Frank Smith are assigned to the auto theft detail when an organized gang begins systematically stripping automobiles throughout Los Angeles.

The thieves are efficient, the stolen merchandise isn't turning up through the usual channels, and police initially have little to work with. Then a tip from an ex-convict provides the detectives with their first significant break and points them toward a suspect involved in trafficking stolen automobile equipment. [Old Time R...Big Paint], [goldie.fm]

Friday and Smith begin surveillance, but identifying the thieves is only part of the problem. They still need to uncover the operation behind them and find the stolen merchandise.

The investigation eventually hinges on an unusual clue: ultraviolet fluorescent paint, which may give Friday and Smith the evidence they need to crack the operation. [goldie.fm]

Cast

• Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday
• Ben Alexander as Frank Smith
• Jack Kruschen
• Vic Perrin
• George Fenneman, announcer
• Music by Walter Schumann [goldie.fm]

THE BIG FRAUD

Episode: 219
Original broadcast date: October 27, 1953 [goldie.fm], [youtube.com]

Summary

This time Sergeant Friday and Frank Smith are assigned to the bunco-fugitive detail, investigating an extortion racket with an audacious twist: the criminals are impersonating police officers.

Their targets are wealthy businessmen. One victim tells the detectives how an apparently innocent encounter eventually placed him in a frightening situation involving men claiming to be police officers. Faced with the possibility of arrest and damage to his reputation, he was pressured into handing over thousands of dollars. [oldtime.radio], [goldie.fm]

Friday and Smith soon realize they're dealing with an organized confidence scheme carefully designed to exploit fear and embarrassment.

With conventional investigative avenues running thin, the police devise an undercover operation. Friday himself becomes the bait, posing as an affluent businessman in hopes that the confidence men will approach him and attempt the same racket. [oldtime.radio], [goldie.fm]

It's classic Dragnet: methodical police work, deception, surveillance, and an undercover operation aimed at turning the criminals' own confidence game against them.

Cast

The radio cast listing I found credits:

• Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday
• Ben Alexander as Frank Smith
• Paul Richards
• Vic Perrin
• Ben Hogan
• George Fenneman, announcer
• Music by Walter Schumann [goldie.fm]

About Dragnet

Created by and starring Jack Webb, Dragnet brought listeners into the working world of Los Angeles detectives, emphasizing investigation, procedure and the patient gathering of evidence.

In these two episodes, Friday and Smith tackle two very different crimes: first an organized automobile-parts theft operation, and then a clever extortion racket whose members actually pretend to be police officers.

Listen now on 1001 Radio Crime Solvers, and if you're enjoying these great old-time radio detectives, please follow the show, leave us a review, and share it with a friend.

And you'll find all of our shows from the 1001 Stories Network at bestof1001stories.com.