Adam-12 (1968–1975): Season 1, Episode 16 - Log 62: Grand Theft Horse? - full transcript

At roll call, officers are cautioned about phony calls related to armed robberies. Reed and Malloy try to track down a noise coming from their car when they get a call of a stolen horse. At the stables, the owner offers them the use of two horses, but reluctant to ride themselves, the officers enlist the help of two park rangers to corral the horse thief. Back on patrol, the car noise getting worse, Reed and Malloy respond to a motel where they help a distraught young woman who bought the line of a cad. After sunset, Malloy ignores a call and heads to nearby liquor stores where they find armed robbers making a getaway. Fired upon, they give chase and pull the two men from their burning car after it crashes. Talking it over afterward, Reed notices the noise is gone.

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(female dispatcher)
1-Adam-12, 1-Adam-12,

possible 459,
suspects there now.

1-Adam-12, 1-Adam-12,

a 415, man with a gun.

1-Adam-12, no warrant.
Lincoln, X-Ray, Ida 483.

1-Adam-12, a 415, fight group
with chains and knives.

(Lieutenant) One more thing.
According to Analytical,

there have been five armed
robberies in the last 10 days,

that were coincidental
with the unfounded calls

from the opposite end
of the Division.

You mean all these robberies
are the result of one joker



putting in phony calls to draw us
into the wrong end of the Division?

That's the way it looks.

What kind of phony calls?

Shots fired, 415 fight,

woman screaming, man with
a gun, man with a knife,

all hotshot calls.

How do we tell the phonies?

Mac?

Oh, you can't.

But when a hotshot call comes out
don't all of you pile on it.

Just point yourselves in the right
direction and sort of drift that way.

Now, the car assigned to the
call and the nearest unit,

go Code 6
as soon as you arrive.

The rest of you,



as soon as you hear there are
two units Code 6 on the scene,

stay in your own districts
and hang loose.

Any questions?

Lieutenant?

The suspect is described
as a male Caucasian, 25 to 28,

5'11" to 6',
brown and black.

Weapon used was
a .45 caliber automatic.

Suspect wears a dark windbreaker
jacket and dark pants.

No vehicle is described.

D.R. number
is 6-8-1-6-5-3-1-2.

Suspect has pistol-whipped
three of the victims

and the last one
is still in a coma.

Suspect is considered
extremely dangerous.

Did you study that map
the Lieutenant gave us?

I just glanced at it, why?

Get it out
and take a look at it.

Okay, so I'm looking at it.

What am I supposed
to be seeing?

I don't know exactly. I was hoping
there'd be some kind of a pattern

so we could tell where that
guy was gonna hit next.

I'd sure like to bust him.

[high-pitched humming]

What's that?

What's what?

That sound.

What sound?

There. Hear it?

Yeah, what is it?

I don't know.

Maybe it's the heat riser.

No, that's
a clattering sound.

Yeah, you're right.

Sounds like it's coming
from the left front.

Sounds to me like it's coming
from the right.

[high-pitched humming
continuing]

It stopped.

No kidding.

(female dispatcher) 1-Adam-12,
1-Adam-12, a grand theft horse.

1602 North Los Feliz Avenue.

Grand theft horse?

They're putting us on.

Hey, maybe that's
a phony call.

Grand theft horse?

That's gotta be for real,
it's too goofy.

1-Adam-12, roger.

1602, right?

That's what she said.

[high-pitched humming]

Reed.

Yeah?

Don't say it.

Don't say that the noise
has started again?

Yeah.

I won't.

I must say,
you got here in a hurry.

Well, we try.
What's the problem?

About 10 minutes ago
somebody stole Herman.

Herman's a horse?

(JO)
A horse.

[sighing]
Well, how was he taken?

There was this hippy hanging around
the hitch rail for about an hour.

What do you mean
by "hippy"?

Hippy. You know, long hair,
beads, dirty, the whole bit.

(Malloy)
What was he doing?

Well, he was just looking
at the horses.

I think he was
a little stoned.

He kept bowing his head.

What happened then?

Well, then I had a long phone
call and when I got back

to my desk I look out the window
and he and Herman are gone.

Well, where do you think
he'd take the horse?

The bridle trail.

I don't think he'd try
and take him on the streets.

Is that bridle trail
wide enough for a car?

Not all the way.

Well, partner,
what do we do now?

Darned if I know.

Hey! That horse cost me $600.

You mean you're not going
to do anything about it.

Well, we'll do something.
I just haven't decided what.

The bridle trail
is too narrow for a car,

and even if it wasn't, we couldn't get
close enough to him to put the arm on him.

I mean, he--he'd see us coming
and take off up the hill.

Well, I'll let you have
a couple of horses.

You go in and you get him.

(Reed)
Us on horses?

Sure. I'll let you have Thelma
and Cupcake, they're real goers.

[stammering]
They are.

Well, that's a real good idea,

but it's a question
of city liability.

I mean, we wouldn't want anything
to happen to your animals.

Yeah, we sure wouldn't want
anything to happen.

Well, that's okay. They're insured
against accidental injury.

[stammering]
They are.

Well, to--to tell you
the truth I'm not sure we are,

if we took your horses
and got tossed on our heads.

What's the matter,
you chicken?

Well, we're police officers,
not cowboys.

L--I'll tell you what, um, you
get a description of Herman,

and a drawing of the brand on him and
have the owner sign a crime report.

I'm gonna get a hold
of the park rangers.

Okay.

Are you the owner?

Yes, I am.

Could I have your name,
please?

Joanna Slater.

1-Adam-12, requesting
two park rangers meet me,

1602 North Los Feliz Avenue,
Code 2.

(female dispatcher)
1-Adam-12, roger.

Okay, suspect is described
as a male Caucasian,

hippy type, approximately 19,

6' to 6'1", long dark hair,

wearing beads, denims.
Is that it?

He's also wearing boots.

(Ranger)
Right.

If he stays in the park,
there's not much we can do.

If you see him, grab him and
we'll take him off your hands.

Okay, but what
if he splits on us?

You mean like out of the park?
(Ranger) Yeah.

Where would he go?
Which way would he head?

Probably up
towards Ridge Drive,

there's too much traffic
going the other way.

Well, we'll go up and prowl
Ridge Drive for a while.

If you see him
chase him to us.

It ought to work.
Give it a try.

Sure thing, see you.
Thanks.

You, uh, think the car'll
make it through the watch?

I don't know. The instruments read okay.
The car drives fine.

Goes when you push
the slanty pedal down.

There he is.

He should come out
in the break up ahead.

[tires squealing]

All right, hold it!

[horse neighing]

All right,
you're under arrest, mister.

Put your left hand
behind your head.

Well, there goes Herman.

Y'all don't have to worry
none about him, Officer.

He's just headin'
for the barn.

Read him his rights
and put him in the car.

All right. Come with me.

Well, under the circumstances,
sir, it'd be my pleasure.

Thanks, fellas, we couldn't
have caught him without you.

We couldn't have
caught him without you.

That kid knows how to ride.
Apparently.

Hey, do us one more favor,
will you?

Sure, what do you need?

Follow that horse down
the trail and make sure

he doesn't get clobbered
crossing the street.

Okay. We'll see you down there.

Right. Let's go.

What's your name, son?

Oh, Leroy, uh,
Samuel Rutherford.

Where are you from, Leroy?

Big Springs, Texas.

Is that where
you learned to ride?

Yes, sir.
On my daddy's ranch.

I'm, uh, powerful sorry
I put you fellas out.

You are, huh?

(Leroy)
Yes, sir.

Are your folks out here?

No, they're back home.

Do they know where you are?

Well, I reckon.

I sent 'em a picture postcard.

How long you been out here?

Ah, about,

[sighing]
about three months.

Where you living?

Well, ever since I got throwed
out of my room last week

I been crashin'
up in the hills.

Tell me something Leroy,
Why'd you steal the horse?

Did you think you could
sell it or something?

No sir, no, I--l didn't
rightly think that, no.

What was it then,
kicks, joy riding?

No sir, but...

Well, it's, uh, it's just
kind of hard to explain.

Why don't you give it a try?

We're pretty good
at figuring things out.

Well, y'all won't
laugh at me?

No, we won't laugh
at you.

Well, I come out here

so's I could find
Leroy Samuel Rutherford.

Y'all dig?

(Malloy) So far. Uh-huh.

Well,

every righteous soul I met said he
knew exactly what I was lookin' for,

'cause he was lookin'
for the same thing.

And then he'd give me
somethin' to swallow,

or smoke, or stick in my arm.

Y'all ever try acid?

No. (Malloy) No.

Well, now that stuff just tears
the rag right off of the bush.

I mean, I saw things
I just knew weren't there.

What did you have today?

Well, I don't rightly know,

but it made me feel real sad.

Why'd you take the horse?

Well, I was just sittin'
on that rail

lookin' at them horses
and thinkin' to myself,

"Leroy, you ain't gonna
find yourself out here

because you're back in Texas."

And the next thing I knew I was in
that saddle just headin' for home.

[sighing]
Yeah, well,

now I guess I'll be going to
calaboose for a spell.

It looks that way.

Well, might not be so bad.

Probably do me some good
to eat regular again

and get off them pills.

I think they mess
a fella up some.

[engine starting]

1-Adam-12, clear.

[high-pitched humming]

What's the matter?

Looking around
for another car

before this one drives me
into a rubber room.

I already checked,
they're all tied up.

Hmm.

[engine starting]

[high-pitched humming]

[high-pitched humming stops]

[high-pitched humming starts]

[high-pitched humming stops]

[high-pitched humming starts]

(female dispatcher)
1-Adam-12, 1-Adam-12,

a 415, woman, see the manager.

15563 South Century.

1-Adam-12, roger.

Are you the manager?
Yes.

What's the problem?

Well, I think we got
a psycho broad.

She's sitting on the ground over
there, in the back of that car.

She won't let the guy
move his wheels.

Is she a registered guest
here?

Well, yes.

That guy who's trying to leave,
he paid her rent for one night.

Oh, and I mean for her,
not for them.

Let's see what
we can find out.

[people chattering]

(Reed) Okay, folks,
let's break it up.

Just go on back
to your rooms, folks.

Nothing more to see,
we'll handle it.

See here, Officer,
can you do something

about moving that girl from the
back of my car so I can leave?

Who are you, sir?

Charles Carter.
I live in Manhattan Beach.

You have something
with your name on it?

Look, this hasn't anything
to do with me. It's her!

We just like to know
who we're talking to.

Would you take it out
of the wallet, please?

[car horn honking]

What's your name, miss?

Are you sick?

Are you injured?

(Malloy) Is this your correct
address, Mr. Carter?

Yes.

Want to tell us
what's going on here?

Sue-Sue called me
this afternoon.

Sue-Sue?

Susan Baker.

Go on.

Well, anyway, she calls me
as soon as I get home.

Says she's in town and
says to come and get her.

Come and get her where?

At the airport.

She just flew in
from Roanoke, Virginia.

That's where she lives.

And that's where I met her, a couple
of weeks ago, on a business trip.

I'm a sales engineer
and I travel all the time.

Yeah?

Sol picked her up, thinking she
wants me to take her someplace.

And?

(Charles) She came out
here to live with me.

Now, I don't know how she got the
idea I was in love with her.

I only took her out four
or five times in Virginia.

Of course, you never told her
you were in love with her.

Well,

no more than any guy would
under the circumstances.

How old is she?

She's 18.

I saw her driver's license.

Believe me, I checked.

I'll bet you did.

Why'd you bring her here?

She didn't have any place
to stay.

I couldn't just dump her
out of the car

into the street, could I?

Anyway, as soon as I tried
to leave she threw a fit.

How did she get the money
to come out here?

I don't know, Officer.
I didn't give it to her.

Her folks aren't
exactly paupers.

Look, is there any legal
reason why I can't leave?

No, Mr. Carter.

As far as we can tell you haven't
done anything wrong, legally.

Well, I'd appreciate
being able

to take my car
and get out of here.

I've got
a business appointment.

All right, partner,
let's move the girl.

Okay, Sue-Sue,

time to get on your feet
and be a big girl now.

I'm not gonna move.

You'll have to arrest me.

Now, what would a pretty girl
like you do in jail?

Let's put her in her room.

I won't go in that room.
I want to go to jail.

Why?

Because I'm only 17.

When's your birthday? Quick.

October 28, 1949, uh, '50.

Which is it?

.50'

Sorry young lady.
That makes you 18.

On your feet, now.

Get her stuff,
will you, partner?

Okay.

[car door closing]

[engine starting]

All right, let's sit down
and talk about it.

Well, if I broke that window
you'd have to take me to jail.

Look, we wouldn't want
to see you do that.

Sit.

Come on, sit.

Sit down!

[sighing]

You ever been arrested?

No.

Believe me, Susan,
it's no game.

That's right. You don't want to
go through life with a record.

I won't stay here alone.

I won't!

I'll go crazy if I have
to stay here tonight.

Then why don't you go home?

[sighing]
I can't go home.

What about your folks?

No!

Do they know where you are?

No, not exactly.

Well, don't you think
you ought to tell them?

Look, Susan, it's not
the end of the world.

You're not the first girl
to fall for a 24-karat phony.

That's life in the big city,
and lessons aren't free.

[sobbing]

I have been such a fool.

How can I possibly go home
and face my mother?

She warned me about him,

and, oh, I went
and did it anyway.

I just can't go home
and face her. I can't.

[sobbing]
I can't.

Blow your nose.

You not only can, you will.

How do you think your mother
spotted Carter as a phony

in the first place, huh?

I don't know.

She probably bought one of life's
little lessons the hard way, too.

Now, we got better things
to do than sit here

and nursemaid you all day.

What's your phone number?

Uh, s-z-s-o-o-e-s.

Operator, give me the long
distance operator, please.

Operator, I'd like to place a
collect call to Roanoke, Virginia,

s-z-s-o-o-e-e.

Person-to-person to, uh...
What's your mother's name?

Helen.
Helen Baker.

Party placing the call
is Susan Baker. Hey.

Okay, operator.
I'll wait.

Hey, try not
to take it so hard.

So you made a mistake,
a tough one,

but if you don't learn
to accept it, you're gonna...

just get in deeper and deeper
until you're in real trouble.

Besides, like my partner said,
it's--it's not the end of the world.

How would you know what it's
going to be like for me at home?

You're a man.

So that's what's bugging you.

What the guys back home
are going to think and say.

Look, if--if it was me
I'd just say

that you're a pretty girl
that got loused up by a heel.

And it's nothing to make
a big deal about.

Mrs. Baker,
this is Officer Malloy

of the Los Angeles
Police Department.

No, ma'am, she's not hurt.

No, she's not in jail.
She's just fine.

Just a minute,
I'll let her tell you herself.

All right, now tell her
the truth.

Mother?

Oh, Mother.

I've been such a dummy.

[sobbing]

(Susan)
Yes, Mother, I know.

I will!

That Carter,
he's really something.

It all evens out.

She had to learn the hard way

and one of these days
he's going to play games

with the wrong little girl
and get a knife in his ribs.

You know, Malloy,
for a guy who's not married,

you, uh, read dames
pretty well.

How do you think
I stayed single so long?

[laughs]

(male dispatcher) All units
in the vicinity and I-Adam-H,

1-Adam-11,

a prowler there now,
see the man,

427 East Catalina.

Hey, Catalina's back
the other way.

Yeah, but there's a lot of
liquor stores down this way.

You think that call's
a phony?

Feels wrong to me.

(female dispatcher) All units,
1-Adam-11 reports a Code 4,

427 East Catalina,
unable to locate P.R.

You were right, Malloy.

Maybe, if this is the guy we're looking
for, a 211 should go down just about now.

(male dispatcher) Any unit in the
vicinity, identify and handle,

a 211 in progress
at the liquor store,

6340 West Spring.

Any available unit, identify
and handle, Code 3.

[siren blaring]

Buy that call partner. We're
about three blocks away.

1-Adam-12, we'll handle 211
at 6340 West Spring.

1-Adam -12, roger, Code 3.

Get set, it's the next corner.

[gun cocking]

They're taking off.

[car tires screeching]

[siren blaring]

(Reed) 1-Adam-12 is
in pursuit of 211.

Suspects westbound
on Crawford at 65th.

Suspect vehicle
is a red Ford Falcon.

Suspects have fired
at officers.

[gun firing]

They keep that up they might get lucky.
You better discourage 'em.

They're not gonna
make that turn.

[car tires screeching]

He's out cold.

Yeah, this one, too.
You better call an ambulance.

Yeah, I'd better get
the fire department, too.

[siren blaring]

One of them matches

the description of our armed
robbery suspect to a tee.

How'd you smell
that prowler call as a phony?

Mostly it was just a hunch.

And the fact that most prowler
calls are "see the woman"

and this one was
"see the man."

That's using your head.

Sarge, what's the story
on the liquor store clerk?

We didn't get a chance
to see if he was hurt.

Well, he was beat up,
but he's gonna be okay.

That's good. He can testify against those
two guys once they get patched up.

Yeah. By the way, Malloy,

you know it's against policy to fire
at a moving vehicle, don't you?

Well, it's also against policy
to get yourself killed.

Yeah.

Well, we'll go into that in detail later.
You can count on it.

For now you better
get working on your report.

Malloy?

Yeah.

You think we're in trouble?

You know, for firing
at the suspects back there.

It's possible.

It'll be mostly up to the Captain
after he gets the report.

We didn't have much choice,
did we?

You could have let them
get away from us.

Maybe another unit would have
stopped them and maybe not.

Maybe they'd kill somebody
no matter how it went down.

I didn't figure
we had much choice.

You think the Captain'll
see it that way?

I don't know.
In a spot like that

sometimes you gotta take
your chances with the book.

Goes with the territory.

I guess so.

Hey, Malloy, guess what?

What?

The noise is gone.