Gem Robbery is one of the better plotted High Patrols, with more interior scenes, better educated victims and suspects than was usual for the show. Much of the time it's rather a police procedural in the style of the Dragnet series of the same period, featuring a fair number of indoors scenes, less driving around in patrol cars. If Brod Crawford's Dan Mathews characters say "10/4" in this one I don't remember it.
Future big screen leading man Stuart Whitman plays Crawford's assistant in this and many other episodes, is competent enough but doesn't show much star appeal, nor does he get much of a chance to act, but then this was true for most actors who played secondary cops on the show.
Still, the story, concerning an honest man carrying a briefcase full of rare gems robbed at gunpoint, his concern for the safety of his family, hence his reluctance to describe the perp or give his license number, creates more sympathy than usual for a crime victim in the series, especially as he was an out of towner. A fierce looking dog who growls at strangers figures prominently in the story.
Well directed by veteran Felix Feist, who'd directed some decent films,--notably the excellent sleeper, Tomorrow Is Another Day--and well written by Don Brinkley, this is a way above average entry in the series in which things come together nicely at a train station which is well built up to if somewhat predictable.
Future big screen leading man Stuart Whitman plays Crawford's assistant in this and many other episodes, is competent enough but doesn't show much star appeal, nor does he get much of a chance to act, but then this was true for most actors who played secondary cops on the show.
Still, the story, concerning an honest man carrying a briefcase full of rare gems robbed at gunpoint, his concern for the safety of his family, hence his reluctance to describe the perp or give his license number, creates more sympathy than usual for a crime victim in the series, especially as he was an out of towner. A fierce looking dog who growls at strangers figures prominently in the story.
Well directed by veteran Felix Feist, who'd directed some decent films,--notably the excellent sleeper, Tomorrow Is Another Day--and well written by Don Brinkley, this is a way above average entry in the series in which things come together nicely at a train station which is well built up to if somewhat predictable.