Dial 999 starring Robert Beatty . . . . . To our Dinosaur TV Crime Menu
Introduction- "Dial 9-9-9. When in London, that's what you do to call the police. I know- I'm a policeman from Canada attached to Scotland Yard. My name's Mike Maguire." 39 stories were made. Click title for more details.

A big thank you to Rex Langmaid who has sent this informative synopsis of 35 Rat Trap:
Det. Sergeant Hadley, investigating organised crime, is lured by a sandwich-board man (Pete Ashley's brother Joe in disguise) to a derelict warehouse where Pete Ashley (Sydney Tafler) and his gang trick him into runnling through a loading door to his death. Maguire questions Sawyer, another gang boss who has been intimidated by Pete Ashley and his henchman Tiny. Sawyer lets slip a comment about a man wearing built-up heels. Later Inspector Maguire and Sergeant Stevens see Ben Cotton collecting the sandwich boards Joe left outside the warehouse, and follow him to the Koolkat Club owned by Pete Ashley. They notice that Joe Ashley is wearing high heeled shoes, recalling Sawyer's comment about built-up heels. When they go to question Cotton (not a gang member but an employee) at his home they learn he has died in an "accident." Maguire, frustrated that everybody is afraid to talk about the Ashleys, goes round London offering a reward to anybody who tells him about a man with high heels, hoping to be lured into the same trap that Hadley fell into. Joe disguised as a sandwich board man accosts him and leads him to the warehouse while two of Ashley's thugs ambush detectives following him.Maguire, having recognised Joe, pushes him into the room where Pete Ashley and his strong-arm man Tiny are waiting, and Tiny coshes Joe in error. In the fight that follows a knife-wielding Pete Ashley falls through the fatal door but leaves Maguire hanging on its hook. Stevens and the detectives, having dealt with Ashley's thugs, arrive in time to stop Tiny finishing Maguire off. As Maguire and Stevens are congratulating themselves for a job well-done an announcement is coming over the radio about another assignment...

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THE KILLING JOB -
In this opening story by Ted Willis, we meet Mike Maguire who has just flown into England on work experience from the Canadian Mounties.

Before even reaching the Yard, he stumbles on a protection racketeer (Peter Reynolds) who's been knifed after falling out with Colletta a 'colleague' (Sydney Tafler).
Colletta is aiming to take over control of London, so his former 'colleagues' (lead by William Hartnell) give him an ultimatum - "get out of town". He has one hour.
As he doesn't comply, the heavy mob get out their flick knives and there's a wonderful street chase, WALKING! You mustn't run or apparently the police might notice you.
But Colletta is cornered in Regent Car Park, as the knives comes out.
Maguire hasn't been idle however. After being welcomed to these shores by the Assistant Commissioner at the Yard (Ronald Adam), he shadows Detective Inspector Winter (Duncan Lamont). At the car park they swoop, carting away some of London's most notorious villains.

Note: some of the location filming in the story was done in St James's Park London.

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ILLEGAL ENTRY - Maguire's assistant is Det Sgt West (John Witty).
"Why should a jewel thief try to steal a fur coat? Why should an accomplice ransack a flat when the coat was known to be in storage?"
The case actually starts when a thief attempts to break into Luxford's, the furriers in Melton Street. He's caught and Maguire's probing questions show that Karl is a foreigner (clever deduction there!) who has been smuggled into the country to work for some criminals.
As Karl has been arrested the crooks persuade his illegal immigrant wife Helga (Adrienne Corri) to steal the fur coat her husband failed to nick. To do so, she breaks into the flat of Baroness von Falcon (Patricia Laffan) and obtains a copy of her signature, which is then forged. She goes with the necessary authorisation to collect the mink coat from Mr Luxford. However Maguire is there to arrest Helga too- "I'll have to ask you to come to the police station." She confesses and gives a detailed account of how they entered England.
In a subplot, Maguire discovers the real reason for the thieves' interest in the coat- there's a valuable ruby hidden in it! The countess is ordered to pay the outstanding duty on it.
Microscopic examination of Karl's clothing proves he's been on a fishing boat recently and this leads Maguire to the docks, and the trawler Boy Tom. The police swoop just as the latest batch of illegal immigrants are arriving. A chase round Billingsgate fish Market and the case is closed.
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SPECIAL BRANCH -
Maguire's assistant is Inspector Pybus (Richard Bebb).
Director- Terence Fisher.

Heaton Radio Taxis have six cabs fitted with two way radios. Some crooks lead by Waymac (Martin Benson) seize the chance to take charge at the firm, because they want to assassinate Dr Stafford, an American scientist, who's flying in to London Airport and then being escorted to Harwell. By so doing they hope to "strain relations between Britain and the United States." No comment needed.
Fortunately one of the taxi drivers overhears their plan and manages to warn the Yard before being shot dead.
Controlling six cabs, the crooks are able to cover every possible route the prof might take. Stafford is shadowed as Maguire and Pybus shield him off the plane and in to a waiting police vehicle. He's actually a decoy, but Maguire still manages to save the double's life before dashing off to join Stafford "on route A4."
Taxi No1 waits in ambush, with the idea of puncturing the tyres before Taxi 6 moves in for the kill. But Maguire is too good for them and Taxi 1 is captured and the driver of Six wounded.
So Waymac orders remaining Taxis 2,3 4 and 5 to rendezvous with him at the junction of the A4 and A320 "west of Reading."
However Pybus swoops on the hq of Heaton Taxis and overhears where they plan to strike next- near a bridge at Littlewich Green on the A4 ("Route 4A" this time!).
So there the assassins wait, by a mud track that seems nothing like a main road. Cunning Maguire again proves smarter, by borrowing a van which he drives himself to reconnoitre the location. On foot eight police then creep up on the gang. The peaceful country scene is filled with fighting. Maguire seems to enjoy telling Waymac that it had been a wild goose chase anyway!
A final philosophical comment from Maguire referring to the dead taxi driver- "the courage and tenacity of the ordinary unknown man, that sets the pattern for an entire nation." He was being serious too.
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MECHANICAL WATCHMAN -
Maguire is attached to S Division.
His assistant is Sgt Tom Chester (John Howlett).

"Police, Scotland Yard. This is a Burcot Automatic Burglar Alarm, operating at Beldon's Fur Shop High Street Rocksfield. These premises are being broken into." A quick swoop leads to the capture of Davies but the other two crooks escape.
Davies has had several convictions, working previously with a Peters. We see Peters with his mate Carson reporting back to their boss Mr Rolt. The stolen furs are handed to furrier Finch (Arthur Lowe uncredited) whose task is to remodel the skins.
Investigation reveals only two fur stores have not yet been targetted by these thieves- Anson's and Fur Fashions, at 98 Cavendish Square W1, and owned by Mr Rolt.
Maguire sets a trap for Rolt after yet another robbery. He suggests that Rolt installs a Mechanical Watchman in his store as everyone else is doing so. All except Gordon's. Rolt pricks up his ears. Inside information from the Yard itself!
But of course Maguire is ready at Gordon's. Twelve garments have been given "special treatment." "All I have got to do," remarks the poor manager, "is wait to be robbed." Indeed it's not long before the crooks drive up in a stolen car 412 LMK. Maguire watches from a nearby unmarked van. He follows as they drive away- "if I lose them now, " he notes, "I'm in big trouble."
The crooks switch from the stolen vehicle to their own van. Maguire is on the ball however as they continue on past St Paul's. The furs are deposited with Finch and after they drive off Maguire arrests them.
Maguire lets Samuel Finch work on the furs, as he wants the boss! Rolt plans his next move a few days later- pretend his own premises are being ransacked. At the same time the newly remodelled goods are collected from Finch and taken to "The Broadway, Golder's Park." The new Mechanical Watchman is set off. Maguire arrives immediately- "Mr Maguire, you got here fast!" An infra red lamp shows up the marks 'MM' that Maguire had invisibly been branded on the stolen furs. The slightly confusing ending is complete.
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GHOST SQUAD -
Heaps of nostalgia in this pre-ATV Ghost Squad story with
1 Elwyn Brook-Jones playing Scott the baddies' boss. He was to appear later as the sinister 'Voice' in Garry Halliday.
2 Douglas Wilmer, prior to taking on the mantle of Sherlock Holmes is the boss' right hand man.
3. Russell Napier, hero of so many Scotland Yard stories, is promoted here to Supt Farrel head of the Ghost Squad.

And the story? Maguire works alone as a Ghost Squad operative. "Their job is to obtain information concerning crimes which have been committed or are to be committed. They pass information to other officers who then make arrests. To conceal his identity and protect his cover, a Ghost Squad member never appears in court to testify."
One such operative, McTavish, is working in a warehouse when he's found out. A crane load of boxes lands on top of him. Maguire takes his place- "they'll stop as nothing to protect their racket," Supt Farrel warns him.
So a 'Bill Brodie' obtains a job loading crates at the docks. As a test, he's needled by one of the villains (Michael Brennan)- "what did you lift back home- matchboxes?!" With "knuckles like concrete" Brodie passes that test.
Good news, he's now given a better job, but Maguire quizzes us viewers- "had I been promoted to a job with the gang that was raiding the London docks, or was I simply being promoted to an accident?"
He manages to meet with his Ghost Squad contact even though he's being closely watched by the gang. And finally he's asked to help in a robbery. Now. So how can he warn the police? At the height of the raid he pretends to kick a felled watchman and borrows a phone. But no sooner has he picked up the phone than he's rumbled. Maguire finishes two of the crooks off but Scott, the boss, rides away with the loot. But some quick thinking from the watchman causes the lorry to crash into the river just as the police arrive, late as usual.
Farrel steps out of his car- "the air round here is smelling better already!"
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FIFTY THOUSAND HANDS -

After 6 months in London Maguire joins a county constabulary (in the county town of Letchford).
He is assisted by Inspector Bill Gates (John Warwick).

"The watchman caught me at it!" He has to be shot in a £9,000 hold up at United Plastics. This gives Jack (Bill Fraser) a problem as his partner Jeff (William Hartnell) is badly injured. So Jack calls an ambulance to the crime scene and with professional aid gets Jeff carried to an ambulance which is then nicked.
Maguire finds the abandoned vehicle where a passing tramp witnessed the pair transferring to a Morris Minor heading in the Letchford direction.
Jeff's in a bad way, so Jack breaks into Letchford Hospital to steal some medicines, but theft turns to murder when he's forced to strangle a nurse who spots him at it.
"He and his wounded pal are somewhere in this town," notes Maguire and so after roadblocking the whole area, he proposes an action "without precedent in the annals of British crime," fingerprinting the entire town, population 25,000, hence the title of this film.
Somehow everyone cooperates, but what happens when the fingerprint man arrives at Jack's hideout? Jeff's prints are taken as Jack thinks they aren't looking for him. But they are. He'd accidentally left his prints in the hospital.
Maguire and Gates zoom off to 8 Croxley Gardens. A final chase enlivens the tale. Jack flees by crashing his Morris Minor out of his garage. Some hope of escaping the cops with those wheels! The police Wolesley has soon caught him up and resorting to a foot race Jack rolls down into a steep quarry before being apprehended.

Maguire's comment as 24,999 sets of prints are ceremoniously burned: "without public goodwill any police force is licked."

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BARGE BURGLARS-
"Why do I work with fools?" moans Harry Fowler referring to his crooked gang. He might instead have been referring to the one-scene supporting cast whose feeble acting does not match the assured style of the main participants.
Maguire is attached to D Division.
His assistant is Det. Sgt Frank Bellamy (Richard Bebb).

Standing, or perhaps loafing, at the corner of the street is shifty looking Sandy (Harry Fowler). With his accomplices, they don their masks, robbing an office and making their escape on a Regent's Canal barge. Suddenly they look just like tourists!
Maguire checks out anyone who might have inside knowledge about the firm, and one, Patrick Donovan, seems suspicious as he's flitted his digs without paying the rent. When he's traced he runs away, but straight into the path of a lorry. End of that lead.
£20,000 is stolen from a clothing factory. "No car," observes the factory owner which turns Maguire's attentions to the nearby canal.
One of the gang, Maxie, starts spending his stolen money rather freely but by the time Maguire and Bellamy are on to him, he's busy on a last job- a second floor office at 22 Mooney Street. As the crooks make their exit on their usual barge Maguire pounces giving all three some hefty punches before the rest of London's police force descend to arrest them.
Pronounces an almost jealous sounding pompous Maguire- "there's no end to the inventiveness of the criminal mind. That's why this is one job you can never afford to go to sleep on."

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EXCEPTION TO THE RULE -

Introduction- "Perhaps the one thing which makes the British police force unique among law enforcement agencies of the world is the fact that its officers don't carry guns. But desperate criminals sometimes call for desperate measures- there's always the exception to the rule."
Maguire is attached to Z Division.
His assistant is Sgt Wilson (Gordon Bell).

Paul Whitsun-Jones plays the leader of a gang of 3 who commit 3 robberies in quick succession then flee the country via the nearest airport or port. After a holdup at the Leonard Export Co in Croydon, they target a Purley bank messenger and then head for a Redhill factory making remote controls.
Maguire spots the pattern from previous jobs. They're making for Gatwick- so he sets up roadblocks, but the trigger happy crooks burst through one, shooting wildly. In Pulborough Lane Chelsham they shoot dead a patrolman who has apprehended them. A constable on his bike spots the trio entering the factory and phones for help. Maguire zooms up- "there are a lot of people in that factory and those guys don't care whom they shoot."
There's a chase round the premises before the crooks find a hiding place in the caretaker's room. "We can't stay here for ever," they realise.
"The place is surrounded!" shouts Maguire (no megaphones here!). "Throw down your guns... you haven't a chance." Their response is in the style of the cowboys- keep shooting, so Maguire has to make his request: "despatch firearms." Whilst Maguire shunts a passing locomotive into an ideal location for an assault on the caretaker's room, they escape through the now evacuated factory. One is shot, one caught, the last runs away but good old Maguire rugby tackles him.
Good action story by Tony 'Clemens' O'Grady.
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MOTOR BIKE BANDITS -
Maguire is attached to X Division.
His assistant is Det. Sgt Leonard (Richard Bebb).

A novel way of robbing offices has been devised by an ingenious gang. You stand on the top of a stolen van, point your gun through a first floor office window and steal the payroll. Then make your getaway in the van, abandoning it for motor bikes.
Thus we watch as Van LMY564 drives up to Hexton and Elliot's offices, and the £8,000 payroll is stolen. The Phoenix van is abandoned as the crooks zoom off across fields on their motorcycles. Whilst Maguire is still puzzling out how they got away, they're preparing another job, a rent collection agency. Maguire works out how they operate and that they use a woman accomplice just as we see the trio locate a suitable removal van (in the scene it's shown as a Tennison Avenue).
At a local motorcycle scramble meeting Maguire learns one rider, Kemp, has gone awol, along with his mechanic Groves. Then they hear the van has been stolen from outside 97 Bolster Lane, to where Maguire rushes to interview the plump lady who saw it all.
Soon there's an alert out for a Joseph Barnes Hammersmith van, but Maguire's one step behind the crooks who at this moment are smashing a first floor office window. Maguire succeeds in anticipating where they're heading for, to switch to their bikes. There's the girl and there's the van, but the two villains flee across the fields. Maguire's motorcycle cops follow but not close enough. Last seen down the Wembley road. Police cars and bikes flash after their quarry.
The crooks have only one route- hide in the old Wembley Stadium. "We're trapped, there's no way way," correctly observes Groves, as the police arrive. Whilst Groves gives himself up Kemp shoots it out- just as well there's no soccer match going on! Maguire does that old circle round and attack from the rear trick, and overpowers Kemp.

A fast moving action story. -

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