DIVISION -4 - "The Takings" – 1969
The enormous success of the long running (1964-77) Australian Police series, Homicide caused the same production company to try a second Police series. This one was also set in Melbourne, and followed the Detectives and uniformed police of a local station. The Detectives were played by Gerard Kennedy, Chuck Faulkner and Terence Donovan while the uniform bunch included, Frank Taylor, Ted Hamilton and Patricia Smith. The series was a hit and ran for 300 episodes between 1969 and 1976. This is episode 16.
A man staggers out of the pub with a woman who leads him down an alley for a quickie. A burly man, Bill Pearson, steps up behind the drunk and decks him with several solid punches. Pearson then rifles the man's pockets for cash. After this, the woman, June Salter, and Pearson climb into a car being driven by Bruce Barry, and drive off.
The whole thing was to see if Pearson had the "right stuff" to join in a payroll robbery Barry has planned. Pearson passes the test. Barry has been planning a hold up of a payroll delivery car for weeks. He believes he has the perfect set-up.
Needless to say the flies in the ointment now start to pop up. Salter is not what one would call a good mother, and is on the Police watch list over her 7 year old daughter. The Policewoman in charge of checking, Patricia Smith, pays a visit to check on the girl. She finds the daughter sick and warns Salter to take her to a doctor, or have the child removed. Smith also notices slime-ball Barry at the residence. Barry is well known to local Detective Gerard Kennedy. Kennedy had sent the man to prison for several years. Barry had sworn he would get even.
Another might be problem, is that the man in charge of making the payroll pick up, Brian Moll knows Barry. Barry pays the man a visit for a "friendly" chat. He gives Moll a going over with his fists, then tells him to say nothing when the hold-up happens.
This does not quite have the desired effect, and Moll goes to the Police for a chat of his own. Moll agrees to cooperate with the Detectives as they set up a sting operation. Barry and crew make their play but the whole thing goes sideways on them. Guns are pulled, and used, with Barry on the wrong end of the lead exchange.
Barry survives, and gets a 15 year holiday at the State's expense while Salter and Pearson get 8 apiece.
An enjoyable series whose only shortcoming is the not so great music used. It seldom fits the pace or the events being shown. A minor detail I must admit.
The enormous success of the long running (1964-77) Australian Police series, Homicide caused the same production company to try a second Police series. This one was also set in Melbourne, and followed the Detectives and uniformed police of a local station. The Detectives were played by Gerard Kennedy, Chuck Faulkner and Terence Donovan while the uniform bunch included, Frank Taylor, Ted Hamilton and Patricia Smith. The series was a hit and ran for 300 episodes between 1969 and 1976. This is episode 16.
A man staggers out of the pub with a woman who leads him down an alley for a quickie. A burly man, Bill Pearson, steps up behind the drunk and decks him with several solid punches. Pearson then rifles the man's pockets for cash. After this, the woman, June Salter, and Pearson climb into a car being driven by Bruce Barry, and drive off.
The whole thing was to see if Pearson had the "right stuff" to join in a payroll robbery Barry has planned. Pearson passes the test. Barry has been planning a hold up of a payroll delivery car for weeks. He believes he has the perfect set-up.
Needless to say the flies in the ointment now start to pop up. Salter is not what one would call a good mother, and is on the Police watch list over her 7 year old daughter. The Policewoman in charge of checking, Patricia Smith, pays a visit to check on the girl. She finds the daughter sick and warns Salter to take her to a doctor, or have the child removed. Smith also notices slime-ball Barry at the residence. Barry is well known to local Detective Gerard Kennedy. Kennedy had sent the man to prison for several years. Barry had sworn he would get even.
Another might be problem, is that the man in charge of making the payroll pick up, Brian Moll knows Barry. Barry pays the man a visit for a "friendly" chat. He gives Moll a going over with his fists, then tells him to say nothing when the hold-up happens.
This does not quite have the desired effect, and Moll goes to the Police for a chat of his own. Moll agrees to cooperate with the Detectives as they set up a sting operation. Barry and crew make their play but the whole thing goes sideways on them. Guns are pulled, and used, with Barry on the wrong end of the lead exchange.
Barry survives, and gets a 15 year holiday at the State's expense while Salter and Pearson get 8 apiece.
An enjoyable series whose only shortcoming is the not so great music used. It seldom fits the pace or the events being shown. A minor detail I must admit.