The Big Rescue

Originally Aired: July 13, 1954

Dragnet #256, "The Big Rescue," Sergeant Joe Friday and Officer Frank Smith find themselves hunting two armed robbers who have been terrorizing Los Angeles for three weeks. The latest holdup occurs at the 814 Club, where a dark-haired gunman with a machine gun and his blonde partner with a .45 automatic calmly rob the patrons while manager Mr. Gilmore watches helplessly. Despite Gilmore's confidence that he could identify the suspects, the investigation yields frustratingly little progress. Friday and Smith work through the night questioning witnesses, reviewing mug shots, and following every lead, but the gunmen remain elusive.

Just as the detectives receive word that Highland Park Division may have picked up a blonde burglar matching one suspect's description, a shocking radio call comes in. An armed man with a submachine gun has brazenly entered the Highland Park Police Station itself and forced officers to release two prisoners. As Friday and Smith race toward the scene, they realize this bold rescue attempt may be the break they've been waiting for in their hunt for the dangerous holdup men.