The Big Lift

Originally Aired: April 27, 1954 Dragnet #245, "The Big Lift," Sergeants Joe Friday and Frank Smith are called to the Whitfield Department store to investigate an organized shoplifting gang that has been plaguing Los Angeles retailers for six weeks. Security chief Jerry Dunrock introduces them to Miss Evans, a nervous young salesclerk who fears she'll lose her first job. She describes waiting on two difficult customers who kept her occupied for half an hour, showing them merchandise while she struggled to help other shoppers. One customer in particular stood out: a well-dressed woman in her mid-thirties wearing a gray suit and full-skirted coat who patiently examined a dozen high-style suits while Miss Evans was distracted. As Friday questions the witness further, the picture becomes clear. The pleasant, well-mannered woman wasn't an inconvenienced customer at all—she was the actual thief, while her two accomplices created a diversion by keeping Miss Evans busy. The young clerk is shocked to learn that the nicest customer was the one who walked away with the stolen merchandise. With complete descriptions in hand, Friday and Smith continue their pursuit of the sophisticated shoplifting ring that's costing Los Angeles businesses hundreds of thousands of dollars.