Adam-12 (1968–1975): Season 1, Episode 9 - Log 101: The Stolen Lawn - full transcript
Reed's wife has put him on a low-cal diet and is starving so they agree to an early code 7. They respond to a man raving about stolen sod. Reed suffers quietly as he questions a man grilling ribs but finds a boy who saw the theft and wrote down the thieves's license. A woman reports her step-son and his friend from San Francisco trying to sell credit cards. They stop the boys outside a pool hall. Malloy spots the friend trying to pull a switchblade hidden in his boot on Reed. The boys have stolen credit cards and the friend finally admits to several robberies. Reed notices a man in a car on a used car lot at night. Malloy allows Reed to decide on their action as part of his training. Reed decides to release the man as it appears impossible to steal the car even though he is on parole. They never make code 7 but Reed is so stuffed on candy he has to turn down Malloy's offer of a steak after work.
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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.
[phone ringing]
That's three gas stations
that have gone down
in the past week
on the morning watch.
All between
3:00 and 4:00 a.m.
They're real pros.
At that time in the morning
they can make
a black-and-white
patrol car a mile away.
It's gonna take the S.O.S. squad in plain
clothes to get anywhere near them.
Right.
Hey, Reed.
Let's go.
Be right with you.
P.M. watch starts
promptly at 4:00.
That means we're supposed to be
cleared and rolling by then.
Sorry.
1-Adam-12.
P.M. watch, clear.
(female dispatcher)
1-Adam-12, roger.
[car engine starting]
At two minutes to 4:00.
What's with the crackers?
I'm a little hungry.
So it seems.
Malloy?
Yeah?
Okay with you
if we eat kinda early today?
You must be hungry.
Didn't you have any lunch?
I guess I sort of forgot.
You sort of forgot?
Reed, how does somebody
forget to eat?
I guess, I might
as well tell you about it.
Yeah, why don't you do that?
Oh, it's on account of Jean.
She's on this kick about cholesterol
and starches and stuff like that.
She's got a real big thing
about it.
And she's got you on a diet.
What's she feedin' you?
Cottage cheese and yogurt.
Stuff like that.
Just started today.
It's a wonder you can walk.
[sighing]
Well, I had
a pretty big lunch today.
But since we're supposed to look
out for each other on this job,
we'll put in for seven
just as soon as we can,
which will be
in exactly 42 minutes.
[laughing]
So Brink
says to the suspect,
"Do you understand
your rights?"
And the suspect says--
Malloy,
can we go eat now?
You're not hungry.
You're starvin'.
Okay, go ahead.
1-Adam-12,
request code seven.
Where do you wanna eat,
partner?
Any place.
(female dispatcher) 1-Adam-12,
continue patrol and handle this call.
A 415, man with a shovel.
Dirty thievin' thieves!
Oh, dirty!
[gasps]
[tires squealing]
Dirty thieves.
[mumbling]
Dirty thieves.
Dirty thieves.
15 years,
I live in an apartment,
watching people plant flowers,
and raise lawns.
And now these finks--
[mumbling]
What's the trouble?
You're standing on it,
or what's left of it.
[panting]
Somebody stole my lawn.
That's what some finks did!
Stole my beautiful
dichondra lawn
that I broke my back on.
I called the police, Officer.
Mr. Jenkins seemed so upset
when he came home
and saw that his lawn
had disappeared,
that I--l thought
he might hurt himself.
Yes, ma'am. Do you have
any idea what happened?
[birds chirping]
It was here when I went
to the market at about 12:00,
and gone when
I came home around 4:30.
I'm Mrs. Mollinson, Mr. Jenkins'
next door neighbor.
You wanna tell us about
the lawn now, Mr. Jenkins?
Oh, oh, I'm sorry.
This isn't mine.
Whoever took the lawn left it
over there by that wall.
Not much point
in checkin' it for prints.
You've probably handled
it quite a bit.
Yeah. I guess I did.
Looks like professional
gardener's equipment.
You want to put that
in the car?
Looks like they took off
in a hurry.
Oh, Mr. Jenkins, we may be
able to do some tracing,
even without fingerprints.
You mentioned
the lawn was dichondra?
You wanna check around,
see if anybody saw anything?
I'll take the report.
Did you, uh,
plant it from seed
or buy it as sod?
And how much would you say
it was worth?
[panting]
Seed. It was worth a fortune.
It's the only kind of lawn
I could get to grow.
[panting]
It was beautiful, you know.
In dollars, Mr. Jenkins.
$150, $200?
The exact amount helps us
classify the crime.
[birds chirping]
Excuse me, sir, uh,
your neighbor next door had his lawn
stolen sometime this afternoon.
Did you or anyone
in this house, uh,
see anything suspicious happening
between 12:00 and 4:00?
No, I can't say I did.
And my wife's been in the den most
of the time with her ceramics.
That's why I'm doing
the cookin'.
Look about ready to you?
Hey, son.
Do you live around here?
Right there.
Did you see anyone around
Mr. Jenkins' lawn this afternoon?
Yeah, I seen 'em.
Three of 'em
with a Ford pickup.
Took me awhile to figure out they was
really swipin' the old grouch's lawn.
Did you know any of them?
Nope. But they
wasn't like gardeners.
They all wore blue coveralls like
guys who work on pools around here.
Did you notice anything
about them or the truck?
You can be a big help, son.
I wrote their license down.
And I rode by and looked
in the back of the truck.
It had a lot of chlorine bottles
and stuff for cleaning out pools.
Those long sweep things.
Well, thanks son.
It'll be a big help.
[birds chirping]
What did you come up with?
Just the license number of the Ford
pickup used to transport the sod.
Anything else?
Yeah, there were three men.
Caucasians.
Age 19 or 20.
Medium height and weight.
Wearing blue coveralls.
They were observed during the
crime by Percy Waterman, age 11.
He said that the suspects' clothes and
the contents of their truck led him
to believe
they were pool men.
The description's gonna
be a big help,
but you wanna bet
the price of a dinner,
those license plates
don't belong to that pickup?
[sighing]
Dinner.
1-Adam-12 requesting want
and DMV on Queen, 53127.
(female dispatcher)
1-Adam-12, Queen, 53127.
One more thing
before we take off.
See those fences?
Two-thirds of each lawn
is on the street side.
That's city property.
The owners of the houses are allowed
to use it as long as they keep it up.
Are you sayin' the city
is the victim in this case?
Grand theft
of city real estate.
I know it's a little weird,
but Jenkins lost ownership
of the seed
as soon as it took root.
It became part of
the land he planted it in,
which is city owned.
But whoever owns it,
it's still grand theft.
When we catch 'em.
Oh, we got a
pretty good start.
Detectives can check out
every pool outfit in the area.
(female dispatcher)
1-Adam-12, Queen 53127.
One plate stolen only.
58, Chevrolet panel truck.
Victim, John C. Arthur,
740, Lachman Lane, Van Nuys.
1-Adam-12, roger.
Case like this, they usually
steal cold plates
for a vehicle that
has to be left exposed
for any length of time.
It doesn't make things
any easier,
but then you gotta work for
your money on any job nowadays.
1-Adam-12, request clear
frequency for crime broadcast.
(female dispatcher) All units
on frequency one, standby.
1-Adam-12, go ahead.
Grand theft, real estate.
Approximately 350 feet
of dichondra lawn,
cut, rolled, and moved.
(female dispatcher)
Attention, all units.
1-Adam-12 reports
a grand theft real estate.
Grand theft real estate.
Write it all down, Russo.
It's gonna be
one of those days.
[female dispatcher
chattering on radio]
[laughing]
Ain't that too much, man?
Steal me land.
Yeah, lots of land.
Wasn't that a gray pickup
we saw parked
in the driveway of that
new place up in Chatsworth?
Alright, Cecil. I don't think
you're gonna make it.
You are stoned, right?
Let's go back and take a look as
soon as we get these guys booked.
There was rolled-up sod
in the back for sure.
[female dispatcher
chattering on radio]
[laughing]
(female dispatcher)
Frequency one clear.
And I owe you a dinner.
Come on, let's go someplace
quick where I can pay off.
[car engine starting]
How would you
like Italian food?
They got the greatest
chicken cannelloni
at a little place
over on Fallbrook.
We could start with
a nice antipasto and then--
(female dispatcher)
1-Adam-12, 1-Adam-12,
see the woman,
forgery suspect.
793, Vista Way.
1-Adam-12, code two.
1-Adam-12, roger.
[birds chirping]
I hope I'm doing the right thing,
Officers, but I'm so worried.
L--l just know he's
going to get into trouble.
What's your name, ma'am?
Mrs. Douglas Milne.
It's about my stepson.
I worried and worried about
whether or not to call you,
but he's just getting
too much for me.
You wanna tell us about it?
Well,
Then I'll try to make it fast
because right now,
I think he's
committing a crime.
Is your stepson armed?
No.
I don't think so.
This is something sneaky.
His name?
Douglas Milne, Jr.
He is 19.
So young-
I know Douglas was upset
when his father
and I got a divorce,
but I have tried
to make a good home for him.
Mrs. Milne, if he's getting
into something we can stop,
don't you think
we should get to it?
Douglas has a friend from
San Francisco visiting him.
He's unemployed but he seems
to have a lot of money.
What is his name?
James Talbot.
There's something
vicious about him.
Yes, Ma'am?
He's trying to sell
my stepson some credit cards.
I saw one of them when Douglas tried
to borrow $20 from me to pay for them.
There was Hart,
or Hecht,
a name like that on them.
Did you lend him the money?
No,
and he and his friend went
away mad because I wouldn't.
But then Douglas said he knew
where he could raise it.
Where is that?
A pool hall
about two blocks away
on--on--on the Boulevard.
You probably passed it
on your way here.
[tires squealing]
The fuzz.
Take off the other way.
[tires screeching]
Hold it right there.
Hands against the wall.
Feet back and spread 'em.
Feet back and spread 'em.
What's your name?
James Talbot.
You can't do that.
Stop a guy and search him.
We can when you start
to run like that.
Why did you?
No reason.
Just surprised is all.
Didn't you tell your buddy
here to run the other way?
Did I?
I don't remember.
Let's move over here.
Right over here.
James Talbot, huh?
Where you from, Talbot?
San Francisco.
Got any ID?
Sure. Driver's license,
draft card.
Remove your wallet
and take 'em out.
Hold it right there, Talbot.
Don't move another inch!
[crowd chattering]
Get over by the car, Milne.
[horn honking]
Keep those hands right
where they are.
Lean on the car.
That's why he dropped
his wallet, Partner.
But I'll bet
he's a lot faster.
Aren't you?
Maybe.
Take it.
You are under arrest for possession
and concealment of a deadly weapon.
Oh, come on.
I wasn't gonna use it.
Sit down,
and take off those boots.
Here in the street?
Take 'em off.
James Talbot,
being under arrest,
I must advise
you of your rights.
You better listen to this,
too, Milne.
You have the right
to remain silent.
If you give up the right
to remain silent,
anything you say can and will be
used against you in a court of law.
You have the right
to speak with an attorney,
and to have an attorney
present during questioning.
If you so desire
and cannot afford one,
an attorney will be appointed for you
without charge before questioning.
Do you understand each of these
rights I have explained to you?
You'll hear from
my attorney all right.
Making me strip in the street.
Do you understand
each of your rights?
Yeah, I'm not deaf.
Milne?
Yes, I understand.
Do you wish to give up
the right to remain silent?
Me? Am I under arrest?
Not yet. Finish checkin' out
his ID, will you, Reed?
Let's go over here.
How about it?
You talkin'?
[laughing]
Mute, man, mute.
Dump the boots.
What?
Turn 'em upside down
and shake 'em out good.
Hey now, wait a minute.
There's something--
Dump 'em.
Come on.
Hand 'em to me.
Was that
a credit card I saw?
Oh, that belongs to a friend
of my mother's.
May I see it, please?
Not the whole wallet.
Open it
and just hand me the card.
I really have two of them.
Just in case.
A. W. Beck, he's kinda
sweet on my mother.
These cards belong
to an A. W. Beck.
I thought you said
your name was Talbot.
He's my uncle.
He gave them to me in case of emergency,
you know, on the trip to L.A.
4376,
Sixth Street,
Santa Barbara?
Oh, I don't know
the street address,
but Santa Barbara is correct.
You see, he comes down
every weekend
and checks just in case I had
to use them for anything.
Sounds very nice.
You wanna
step over here, please.
Yeah.
That's strange.
The names on all
these cards match.
A. W. Beck.
San Francisco,
not Santa Barbara.
Wanna know somethin'
even stranger?
Talbot just said
he stole all five.
Two arrests,
two hours of paper work.
How's it going?
Mmm-mmm.
Maybe these will help.
Thanks.
Should be finished with this
Milne booking in a minute.
Did the Lieutenant approve
the Talbot report?
He's lookin' at it right now.
He wants us
to add the C.l.l. info
on the San Francisco wants for assault
with a deadly weapon on Beck.
Dicks are
still talkin' to him.
Every couple of minutes he cops
out to another 211 up there.
He's a bad boy,
that Talbot.
I hope you learned somethin'.
More than somethin'.
When do you ever
get over being scared
when you have to take a man
you know is armed?
When you lose sight
of his hands and he kills you.
Why don't you finish that up
and relax a few minutes?
I'll make the changes
the Lieutenant wants,
and then we'll roll
for that big steak.
This looks like a steak
to me right now.
I can't imagine that steak
joint closin' up so early.
With my luck, it figured.
I picked up a few candy bars.
You want one?
No, see those lights
up ahead?
Well, just beyond them is the greatest
pancake house in the whole world.
That's where
we're headed right now.
Take it easy with the papers. You're
gettin' them all over the car.
Can't throw them out.
$50 fine for litterbugging.
[female dispatcher
chattering on radio]
Malloy, swing around
the corner and go in dark.
What did you see?
Flash of what looked like
somebody in a car in there.
I think he made us.
[tires squealing]
Which car?
That brown Jag over there.
Take the driver's side.
Police. You got
business in that car?
No, I was just--
Get out.
Your name?
Carl Robinson.
Over there.
Hands on the hood.
What were you doing
in the car?
Just lookin' it over.
L-- I'm kinda nuts about cars.
L--l was passin' by,
I seen it,
I just wanted a closer look.
(Reed)
11:00 at night?
This places closes
at 9:00.
I know.
Can't stand
those pressure salesmen.
They leave these lights on
so people can look,
don't they?
But they don't usually leave
keys in cars after they lock up.
These were in the ignition.
Those were in
the car when I got in.
That's one of
the reasons I got in.
I just wanted to turn
that engine over just once.
You might have come by during
the day and taken the keys,
figuring to come back tonight,
and take the car.
No, no, I didn't.
Honest, Officer, I didn't.
No keys in this one.
Or in that one.
What do you know?
Keys.
How about that?
They do leave some of the keys
in cars when they lock up.
He might just
be tellin' the truth.
Let me see your
driver's license.
[sighing]
I don't have one.
L--l lost it
for drunk driving.
I just never went back for it
after the time was up.
You must have
some identification.
Uh,
social security card,
and a--a credit union card
from Lockheed.
L--l just got a job there.
Just take 'em
out of your wallet.
He may have figured out
some way to do it.
But it looks to me like this
car is completely boxed in.
No way to get to the street
without movin' this one,
and it's locked.
It's just possible.
You gonna run me?
Got no choice.
Officer,
would you please believe me?
I was not trying
to steal that car.
I didn't case it earlier, or anything
like you and your partner think.
It's kinda hard to believe.
1-Adam-12, code six
at Ventura and La Mirada.
Request clear frequency
to run one.
(female dispatcher) All units
on frequency one, standby.
1-Adam-12, go ahead.
Robinson, Carl Fredericks.
Look, you guys can spot
a guy who's done hard time.
It just takes something
right out of your guts.
I'm on parole now.
If you bust me,
I'll go back to the joint,
even though
this is a bum beef.
Where were you?
San Quentin.
Two years inside.
Would you please
give me a break?
You know what this is,
don't you?
[sighing]
Field Interview Card.
You're gonna make me
for the whole division.
There's one grand theft in a 100
blocks, I go down for it, right.
No wants.
Record for grand theft auto.
He told me.
He's on parole.
[sighing]
Says it's back to the joint
if we bust him.
What do you wanna do?
Me?
It's your arrest.
Well, do you think he
was trying to steal that car?
Reed, a big part of this job
is making tough decisions,
fast.
Now, you know as much
about this one as I do.
Robinson, you've already
done time for auto theft.
And I'm sure if you were gonna
heist this set of wheels,
you would have
set it up better.
We're gonna let you go.
Just remember,
we'll contact you at the first
sign you've let us down.
How do you feel, partner?
Hungfy-
You seem a little down.
You did a big thing.
Yeah, but did I do
the right thing?
Probably.
But on this job the only thing
that's black-and-white is the car.
Quittin' time.
No code seven tonight.
Pete, would you believe the biggest piece
of action we had all night was a deuce?
I believe. My partner went
over a fence after a prowler
and right into
a Doberman Pinscher.
We spent most of the rest of the
watch gettin' him patched up.
How did it go with you,
Malloy?
Oh, pretty routine.
Little of this, little of
that, you know how it is.
See you later.
All right, Pete.
I don't know who owes
the steak to whom,
but I'm about ready
to go out and buy two
of the biggest ones
you've ever seen.
Smothered in mushrooms
and nestled on a bed
of French fried onion rings.
And so the plate
won't be too crowded,
we'll have 'em put the shoe
string potatoes on one side
and the caesar salad
on the other.
Malloy.
I guarantee, this place stays
open all night.
Look, I'd love to, but--
I did mention the fact
that I'm buyin'?
Malloy, all of a sudden
I'm just not hungry.