- 4 hours ago
A man is forcing different young women to help him rob banks, and Friday and Gannon have to find out who he is and stop him.
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TVTranscript
00:05This is the city, Los Angeles, California.
00:11This part of it has been here a long time, several thousand years.
00:15This is Hancock Park, the tar pits where more than one prehistoric skeleton has been unearthed.
00:23This sign, spelling out a world famous name, was put up on the side of a mountain over 50 years
00:29ago.
00:29The sign, like the mountains, hasn't changed through the years.
00:36Some of the buildings are still standing, the old Hall of Records, but they're beginning to change.
00:50The new Hall of Records.
00:54Los Angeles is really a young city.
00:56This is where it all began, when it was a Mexican pueblo.
01:01They called this the plaza.
01:05Today, this is a plaza.
01:07It's a mall, a shopping center.
01:09In Los Angeles, you don't have to go downtown.
01:13Everything's right here.
01:14Stores, markets, restaurants, banks.
01:17These plazas are all over the city.
01:20And they all need protection.
01:22That's part of my job.
01:23I carry a badge.
01:27It was Tuesday, August 4th.
01:28It was hot in Los Angeles.
01:29We were working the day watch out a robbery division.
01:31Bank detail.
01:32The boss is Captain Howell.
01:34My partner's Bill Gannon.
01:36My name's Friday.
01:3710-09 AM.
01:39We got a code three call.
01:40Five minutes after the Mercantile National Bank at Victory in Moore Park opened its doors, it had been held up
01:46by a man and a woman.
01:56The story you are about to see is true.
01:59The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
02:25The bank detail is composed of six men, broken into three teams of two men each.
02:29When available, all three units converge on the scene of a robbery.
02:33Bill and I were working as one of those teams.
02:36Joe's evening, get that guy to move out of the way, will ya?
02:40Thought I'd take Moore Park, less traffic.
02:42Yeah, whoever hit the bank's got five minutes on us now.
02:451K82, calling 1K80.
02:46This is 80.
02:47Just arriving in the bank.
02:49We'll take the inside.
02:49You and Gannon want to cover the street.
02:51Roger.
03:01You fellows from downtown?
03:02Bank detail, Friday and Gannon.
03:04Team inside asked me to fill you in.
03:05All right.
03:06According to the witnesses, the male suspect's about 40, around 6'2", 200 pounds.
03:10White shirt and blue jeans.
03:11What about the woman?
03:12Little younger.
03:13Redhead.
03:14Wearing a yellow dress.
03:15She scooped up the money in a pillowcase.
03:16Mauve.
03:17What's that?
03:17Mauve.
03:18M-A-U-V-E.
03:19That's what they said.
03:19A Mauve pillowcase.
03:21Any witnesses out here?
03:22Yes, sir.
03:22A few.
03:23They said the suspects escaped in a blue sedan.
03:25I got FI cars on those who couldn't stay around.
03:27Are any of them still here?
03:28Dr. Philip Lang.
03:29He's over there with my partner.
03:30He should be a good witness.
03:31Why do you say that?
03:32He's an eye doctor.
03:3910.20 a.m.
03:40Dr. Philip Lang agreed to cancel an appointment and accompany us on a search of the area.
03:45He had seen the escape car and he was certain he would recognize it if he saw it again.
03:50We began to cruise the immediate area in the vicinity of the bank that was just held up.
03:56We drove slowly up and down the business district and along the neighborhood streets bordering it in all directions.
04:02They leave the getaway car this close to the bank?
04:04Yes, sir.
04:05The usual pattern is to use a stolen car and dump it within a few blocks.
04:08Just walk away and leave it?
04:09Well, sometimes they walk, sometimes they have a switch car waiting.
04:13The usual drop spots are service areas, public parking lots, even somebody's carport.
04:17Could you slow down a little?
04:18Yes, sir.
04:18There's a carport.
04:20That looks like it could be the car.
04:48There's a carport
04:51are in the ignition. I'll check the house, Joe. Right. Doctor? That's it. No doubt about it.
04:58That's the hold-up car. Did you get the license number? No, sir. That's why I remember the car
05:02so well. How do you mean? I didn't catch the license number. That's why I remember everything
05:06else about the car so well. Yes, sir. I said it to myself right then. What's that, sir?
05:11Philip, I said, you need stronger glasses. The only person at home in the residence at 18
05:19South Maplemore was Mrs. Stewart Riley. She told us the car belonged to no one in her family.
05:24She had never seen it before. 10.45 a.m. Bill ran the license number of the blue sedan through
05:31DMV. We also called SID. 11.03 a.m. Leighton Prince came out to check the car over. Registration
05:40card should read Jana Altman. It does. 10.05 St. Albans Street. That's right. Checked her
05:45through R&I. No record. Shook the car. Found this under the back seat. Let's check her bed.
05:49Her bed. Maybe she's shy. One pillowcase.
05:57We arranged to have the blue sedan towed away to an impound garage. Then we drove directly
06:01to St. Albans Street. The team inside the bank told us that the bandits had gotten away
06:06with less than $300. The woman in the yellow dress had carried the money out of the bank.
06:13Yes, Mr. Vincent, I'll be happy to take a cab. Could you hold on a minute, yes?
06:17Jana Altman. Yes, but I'm very busy.
06:18We're police officers. Oh, you certainly got here in a hurry. Come on in. I'm sorry,
06:23Mr. Vincent. What was that? Yes, the police are here now. I will the moment I can. Such
06:28service, I'm overwhelmed. Ma'am. I mean, I reported it not 10 minutes ago, and here
06:32you are. Reported what? About my car. Well, that's why you're here, isn't it? You live here
06:37alone? Yes, but what's that got to do with my car? I suppose eventually you'll get around
06:41to telling me the reason for all this. License number of your car, JXO 237? Yes, I reported
06:46all that. You mean your car was stolen? Well, of course it was stolen. When? Last night,
06:51this morning. I don't know when. It wasn't in my parking space when I went to drive to
06:54the office. What time do you usually leave for work?
06:569.15. It's after 11 now. I'm well aware of that, Sergeant. That was my employer I was
07:02just talking to. You've been out of this apartment today? I told you. I went out to my car. It
07:07was gone. I came back here and phoned my office. Then I reported it. Then my employer phoned
07:12me. Then you showed up. Mm-hmm. Be back in a minute, Joe. Right. Well, Sergeant, I suppose
07:18you're ready to give me some explanation for all this. Yes, ma'am. Your car was using a
07:22bank robbery this morning. Seriously? My car? You're kidding. Yes, ma'am. A man
07:26and a woman. Really? This woman was described as about 30, red hair, wearing a yellow dress.
07:37Do you own a yellow dress, Miss Altman? Yes, I own a yellow two-pee shantung, a yellow
07:41Dacron shirt waist, and a yellow peekaboo lace sheet. Could you be a little more specific?
07:45Why? You're doing just fine. Could I check your closet? Don't you need a search warrant
07:48for that? Not if I have your permission. Suppose I don't give it. Then I'll get a search warrant.
07:52Oh, go ahead. Everyone owns a yellow dress. They're in there. Thank you.
08:10Come in.
08:17Somebody's lying. Yeah.
08:19Swimming pool man says she drove off in her car before nine this morning. A couple
08:23hours later, returned in a cab. Yeah. Found out since then. She changed her clothes.
08:27Pool man happened to notice what she was wearing this morning.
08:30Yellow dress. Uh-huh. Think that's enough?
08:32Along with that, yeah.
08:35Monthly parole report.
08:50We advised Janna Altman of her rights and took her downtown. She had no lawyer, but
08:55expected one would be obtained for her by her employer.
08:5912.25 p.m. A policewoman made a personal search of the suspect. She reported finding
09:04neither money nor a weapon. She's dressed, Joe. You can go in. Right. How busy are you?
09:08Nothing. They can't wait. Why? You want me to stay? We'd appreciate it. Be glad to.
09:18I hope you don't mind. This young woman said it was all right.
09:21Now, you've been advised of your rights, Miss Altman. You don't have to talk to us until your
09:25lawyer gets here. But that's the problem. I can't be sure one is coming. It's quite possible
09:30I no longer have a job. You see, I worked for an old-line conservative firm. That's why
09:36I lied to you. You knew I was lying, didn't you?
09:38Yes, ma'am. You want to tell us the truth now? Might as well. Can't be any worse off than
09:43this,
09:43can I? What time did you leave your apartment this morning? A little earlier than usual to do
09:47some shopping. My car was there. That was lie number one. Yes, ma'am. I made my purchases. I just
09:54got back into my car. Where did you do your shopping? The Devon Plaza. A man got in beside me,
10:00right there in the middle of the parking lot. There were a dozen people within 20 feet of me.
10:04Yes, ma'am. But he had a gun. I didn't move. I didn't scream. And he said very matter-of
10:09-factly,
10:10as if he'd rehearsed every word, this is what we're going to do, lady. We're going to rob a bank.
10:15And that's exactly what we did. One step at a time, Miss Altman, just as it happened, please.
10:20Well, he said he'd keep everybody quiet while I gathered up all the money. Then he handed me a
10:25pillowcase. What color? What color? I don't... Yes, it was a sort of washed-out lavender.
10:33All right, go on. Well, he made me walk into the bank, and he pointed the gun at a teller
10:38and said,
10:39this is a stick-up or something like that. Nobody moved. He motioned to me, and I got all the
10:43money
10:43I could reach and put it in the pillowcase. I had no choice, Sergeant. I had to do what he
10:48said. Surely
10:48you can see that. What happened next? Well, he took my arm and walked me outside, and then he said,
10:53here's where we part company. Thanks a lot, lady. And he drove away in my car. How'd you get back
10:58home?
10:59In a cab. Well, why didn't you wait until the police arrived? I've already explained that. This
11:04firm I work for is very conservative. They don't care for this kind of publicity. Was that the only
11:09reason? Certainly. Do you have a record, Miss Altman? What? I said, do you have a police record?
11:14Have you ever been arrested? You must have checked your files by this time. Did you find anything?
11:19No, ma'am. Not in our files. Well, then. But if it was out of state, it wouldn't be in
11:24our records.
11:26Well, Miss Altman? You said you were going to tell us the truth. I've done that. I've told you the
11:32truth. No, ma'am. You haven't. You've got a record in Oklahoma City. You did time there, and you've
11:37been placed on parole. You were granted permission to leave the state. You moved out here. Now, as an
11:41out-of-state parolee, you have to make monthly reports to a local PO. He's got your record on file.
11:46I suppose you take it from there. Have you talked to Mr. Ralston? Yes, ma'am.
11:50Then you know all about it. Why don't you tell us anyway? I was married once. William T. Crowe,
11:57a handsome, charming man who just happened to be a compulsive gambler. He was always broke,
12:03always in debt. I kept buying him out of trouble. I made a good salary, but it was never enough,
12:08so I borrowed. Never very much, but often. It adds up that way, and when you get caught,
12:14it's not borrowing. You know what it's called, don't you, Sergeant? Embezzlement.
12:19You divorced now? Oh, yes, I'm divorced. It took 18 months in prison to do it, but I finally got
12:25him out of my system. Where's your ex-husband now? I don't know. We'll want a description of him.
12:30Why? Just routine. Routine? You think he's the man who robbed the bank. That's right, isn't it? You
12:36don't believe anything I've said. You make it a little difficult, lady. Why? I told you the truth.
12:40Sure you did. Three different ways.
12:511.15 p.m. Janna Altman was booked for armed robbery. On our recommendation, bail was set low.
12:59She was released within two hours. Her car was released from impound. We placed her under
13:05surveillance. She went directly home. She stayed there. At 8 p.m., we knocked off for
13:10the day. Wednesday, August 5th, we continued to hit and miss surveillance with no results.
13:16The suspect went to work. She went out for lunch. She went home again. If she made any
13:22contact with a male suspect, it had to be by telephone. Thursday, August 6th, Janna Altman
13:28checked into her office building at the regular time. Control 327 to 1K80, 81, and 82. Just
13:36had a good one. Mercantile National Bank. Sherman and Oxnard. Two cocks. Male and female.
13:43They're armed. There's 1K80 to control. We'll take it.
13:58Control 327 to 1K80. This is 80. Disregard. 1K82 will handle. Woman just called in. She's
14:07in the Red Quill Bar. Claims she was just forced to help rob a bank. KMA 367.
14:231045 a.m. We drove directly to the Red Quill Bar. It was less than half a block from
14:27the bank that had just been robbed. The woman had told the office her name was Mrs. Carl
14:33Ripplin. I don't mind telling you what happened, but if it's all the same to you, Sergeant, I'd
14:37like to finish this first. Bartender, where's the bottom half of this? Will you boys join
14:44me? No, thanks. No, thanks. Would you mind telling us what happened? I'd just stopped
14:50for a red light. This young man climbed into my car. I told him I didn't pick up hitchhikers
14:55and he'd have to get out. He pointed a gun at me. That's a terrible experience, Sergeant.
15:00Yes, ma'am. You stare at it knowing if you do something wrong, you're going to be killed.
15:04What did you do? Just what he told me. I went into the bank with him and gathered up all
15:08the money and put it into a pillowcase he'd given me. Would you go on, please? When we
15:14got outside, he took my car and left me standing there. I knew there were three things I could
15:19do. I had to make a choice. Yes, ma'am. I could faint or start screaming or have a drink.
15:25Yes, ma'am. This is my fourth.
15:3312 noon. We had a series of robberies going. The same bandit had robbed both banks. The
15:38descriptions of him matched up. The M.O. was the same. And Mrs. Ripplin's account was
15:42identical to the one given us by Jana Altman. 12.35 p.m. Bill and I, along with the other
15:48two bank detail teams, met with the captain of robbery division, Captain Mert Howe.
15:52This last job kind of takes the heat off the Altman woman, doesn't it?
15:55Looks that way, Captain. You think that was the purpose? It's possible. It's been done
15:58before. How do the rest of you feel about it? Well, I wouldn't rule it out, Captain, but
16:02it wasn't the only purpose. Yeah? Thief walked out with over $4,000 on his last job. He only
16:07got $300 out of the Devon branch with the Altman woman. Just three days apart, he must have
16:12a big overhead. Gambler, maybe? So was Jana Altman's ex-husband. Unless we get something
16:16bigger than that Friday, we'll have to consider rejecting it when she answers the writ. A couple
16:20of things going for us, Skipper. What's that? Two branches of the Merck National. He's probably
16:24not going to change banks now. Uh-huh. And so far, he's hit between 10 and 11 a.m. Joe,
16:30where did you find the hostage cars? Dumped within three blocks of each job. Could he live
16:34in the area? Nothing in the M.O. book? No, sir. He's a new one. Well, what do you think?
16:38Rolling stakeout? About the only way we can handle it. All right. Work out your own schedule.
16:42Friday? Yes, sir. The Altman woman? Yes, sir. Clearer or keeper?
16:52Tuesday, August 11th. The rolling stakeout was in its fourth day. Between 10 a.m. and noon,
16:57at least one unit was cruising the area. From noon until the banks closed, we made follow-up
17:03interviews of witnesses to both robberies. Nothing developed. Friday, August 14th. The banks
17:10were open until 6 o'clock. 4.30 p.m. The hostage bandit hit again. We were at the wrong
17:17end of the stakeout area. 4.40 p.m. It was the same story. The suspect had used a woman
17:22hostage again. This time, the woman was waiting for us right in front of the bank.
17:33Are you police? Yes, ma'am. Robbery detail. Well, I was waiting for the light to change when
17:38he stuck his head in the window. He acted like he was in an awful hurry, said he was
17:41late for work, and if I'd give him a lift as far as Arlington, he'd pay me a dollar.
17:44Yes, ma'am. Well, he looked all right. Clean. Kind of good-looking, in fact. And he gave
17:48me the dollar. I told him I was going to Arlington anyway, but he said I was doing him a
17:52big favor,
17:53and it was worth it. Some favor. You know what he did? No, ma'am. Suppose you tell us.
17:57You'd think he'd stolen enough money. Yes, ma'am. That pillowcase, I stuffed it full of bills
18:02for him. Must have been hundreds there. Can you imagine the gall of the man? He only gave
18:06me one dollar. Yes, ma'am. I used at least five dollars worth
18:10of gas. The pattern of the third robbery was identical
18:18with the previous two. Even the hostage car was found in the same area. 6.30 p.m. On
18:24our way home, we stopped off to see Jana Altman. Will you sit down, or aren't we staying
18:37that long? We'll stand. Thanks, anyway. Sure, we're not interrupting anything? No, no, nothing
18:41pressing. You'll have to excuse me. I don't recognize this approach. What is it this time?
18:46You know you're going to have to appear on that writ. Yes, I'm well aware of that. That's
18:49what we came to tell you, Miss Altman. It's going to be rejected. Rejected? Yes, ma'am.
18:56The charge will be withdrawn. Why? Don't think I'm ungrateful, but why? The same man robbed
19:00two more banks. He picked up women to help him, just like you. You arrested them, too?
19:04No, ma'am. Not yet. Why not? For one thing, Miss Altman, both of the other women voluntarily
19:09contacted us to report the robberies. You didn't, did you? We'll notify your parole officer,
19:13and if you like, we'll tell your employer that you've been cleared. Thank you. That would
19:16help. Sergeant? Yes, ma'am? What's the sentence for robbing a bank? Twenty-five years for each
19:23conviction. It's hardly worth it, is it? Well, that's the idea. They want to make it an unpopular
19:28crime. Is it? Not in Los Angeles. This is the bank robbery capital of the world. 1949, there
19:34were eight bank robberies here. Now we're averaging over 140 a year. How do you count for it? A lot
19:39of reasons, I guess. Branch banking, for one. Used to be you went downtown to bank. Now every shopping
19:44area is a branch. And there's the way they build them, mostly for public relations, you
19:48know. In the old days, tellers were in cages. The modern bank is just right for counter jumpers
19:52and note writers and the on-ramp specialists. The what? A bank built near a freeway. By the
19:56time we reach the scene, a bandit can be 20 miles away. What about this hostage bandit?
20:01Yes, ma'am. Think you'll catch him? Well, it's hard to say, Miss Altman, but the numbers
20:05are pretty good. What do you mean? In this city, 80% of the cases are cleared.
20:19Friday, August 21st, the rolling stakeout continued. 4.10 p.m.
20:24All units in the vicinity, a 2-11 silent alarm, Mercantile National Bank, 3-2-2-7 Lankersham,
20:2915 atom 27, handle code 3. Hit it once.
21:00Police officers.
21:01Yeah, the money's in that bag and that's his gun. I disarmed him first thing.
21:04Yes, ma'am. Are you all right?
21:05Yes, just a little scared.
21:08I'll put him in the black and white, Joe.
21:10Right.
21:12Wonder if I could have your name, please.
21:13Doris Colbert, miss.
21:15All right. Do you want to tell me what happened here, Miss Colbert?
21:16Well, you're not going to believe this, but that man made me help him rob a bank.
21:20I believe it.
21:21He made me park my car out there in front. We walked up to the plaza.
21:24Could I sit down? I'm still a little bit shaky.
21:27Sure.
21:36Some people will tell you they're only scared after it's all over.
21:39They're lucky. I was petrified every second.
21:41You sure didn't look it.
21:43Well, I was.
21:44But it suddenly occurred to me as we were walking out of the bank
21:46that this was the very situation I've been telling my students about.
21:50Yes, ma'am.
21:50In case they were ever attacked, you know how to defend themselves.
21:53You can even disarm a man if you know how.
21:55Yes, ma'am.
21:56Well, I know how. I've been demonstrating it for years. I teach karate.
22:00Yes, ma'am.
22:01First time I've ever had to put it in practice.
22:03You know, it really works.
22:05I know.
22:06I gave him a chop on the forearm, and that gun must have jumped six feet.
22:09Then I really went after him.
22:11You did fine, Miss Colbert.
22:13Control 327 to 1K80.
22:15Mercantile National Bank.
22:16Lankership branch.
22:17Looks like the hostage man.
22:19It is. We have him in custody.
22:25You want to take him downtown while Gannon and I finish up here?
22:28Right, Sergeant.
22:29Stinking broad. I can't believe it.
22:31What's that?
22:31Imagine a stinking broad wiping up the sidewalk with you.
22:34That dame's as strong as an ox.
22:36Sure. She must weigh at least 120 pounds.
22:38What is she, a lady wrestler?
22:40Linebacker for the Cleveland Browns.
22:42Take him in.
22:43Right, Sergeant.
22:49I didn't hurt him, did I?
22:50Not where it shows.
22:52You know, Sergeant, one thing really bugs me.
22:54What's that?
22:55Well, he told me he'd give me a dollar if I'd give him a lift.
22:58Just a couple of blocks, he said.
22:59Yeah?
23:00I told him I didn't want the dollar, but he insisted.
23:02So you took it.
23:03That's right.
23:04And after I filled that pillowcase full of money,
23:06went through all that hold-up business in the bank.
23:08Yes, ma'am.
23:09The nerve of that slob.
23:11What's that?
23:11He made me give him the dollar back.
23:28The story you have just seen is true.
23:31The names were changed to protect the innocent.
23:35On October 20th, trial was held in courtroom 54,
23:39United States District Court Central Division
23:41of the Southern District of California.
23:43In a moment, the results of that trial.
23:50The suspect was found guilty on four counts of bank robbery.
23:54Bank robbery is a federal offense
23:56which is punishable by imprisonment
23:57for not more than 25 years on each count.
24:08The suspect was found guilty on the other side.
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