Episode
THE BIG WANT AD and THE BIG SHOPLIFT
- Podcast
- 1001 Radio Crime Solvers
- Published
- Aug 12, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3412
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://6d90722a-143f-45eb-83cc-2b5ba24978df.libsyn.com/the-big-want-ad-and-the-big-shoplift
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/1001-radio-crime-solvers-5874010/episodes/the-big-want-ad-and-the-big-shoplift/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/1001-radio-crime-solvers-5874010/the-big-want-ad-and-the-big-shoplift.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
1001 Radio Crime Solvers Show Notes – Dragnet: "The Big Want Ad" & "The Big Shoplift" THE BIG WANT AD In this tense and tightly wound Dragnet case, Friday and Smith find themselves chasing a criminal who hides behind the most ordinary disguise imaginable — a classified advertisement. When a series of "help wanted" ads begin leading unsuspecting job‑seekers into danger, the detectives uncover a pattern of fraud, intimidation, and escalating violence. The suspect is clever, manipulative, and always one step ahead, using the anonymity of the newspaper to lure victims with promises of easy work and fast money. As Friday and Smith dig deeper, they discover that the man behind the ads isn't just running a scam — he's building a trap. The investigation becomes a race to stop him before his next ad brings in another victim. "The Big Want Ad" is Dragnet at its procedural best, showing how even the most harmless corner of everyday life can hide a predator waiting for the right moment to strike. THE BIG SHOPLIFT A routine call from a downtown department store turns into a surprisingly complex case when Friday and Smith are asked to investigate a sudden spike in shoplifting. At first, it looks like petty theft — a few missing items, a nervous clerk, and a store detective who's convinced he's dealing with amateurs. But as the detectives interview employees and examine the evidence, they begin to suspect something far more organized. The thefts are too clean, too consistent, and too profitable to be random. The trail leads them to a professional ring that uses decoys, distractions, and carefully timed movements to strip stores of merchandise without leaving a trace. Friday and Smith must untangle the network, identify the ringleader, and shut down an operation that's been bleeding l…