Case:
Maynard Gage, Lou Forrester,
Connie Sherill et al

Theft from Interstate Shipment.		 The FBI
 The Buyer (7:15)
2 January 1972 on ABC
Written by Ed Waters
Directed by Carl Barth

 Cast
Efrem Zimbalist Jr. as Inspector Lewis Erskine
Philip Abbott as Assistant Director Arthur Ward
William Reynolds as Special Agent Tom Colby

Guest Stars
David Hedison as Lou Forrester
Stephanie Powers as Connie Sherill
Tim O'Connor As Maynard Gage


A shipment of platinum arrives at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. A con woman has gotten the shipping information from a truck company employee.  Her boyfriend Maynard and his partner Lou successfully infiltrate the warehouse by posing as truckers. In plain site, they successfully steal close to one million dollars in platinum ingots from the airport dock.
 

The FBI's network learns that an infamous fence in Europe has sent a representative, Jud Hobey, to assess and appraise the platinum. They track Hobey and intercept him. Knowing the thieves haven't met Hobey, the FBI hatches a daring plan: Inspector Erskine, who matches Hobey's description, will take his place. A wardrobe change, and a moustache and the inspector is ready to poise as the elegant, if crooked, lady's man.

The three thieves are to meet with Hobey  in San Francisco to seal the deal and effect the transfer for the buyer from Europe. Maynard sends Connie to negotiate while tensions mount between Lou and Maynard. Connie, it seems, considers Lou a better catch than Maynard, and the stress of the theft and Maynard's jealousy finally explode. Meanwhile Erskine has easily gotten the amateur Connie's fingerprints and with her identity know, the FBI's net begins to close.

But unbeknownst to Erskine or Connie, Maynard has found another fence in Denver who is willing to pay more for the platinum. Now, the plan is the kill Hobey, take his payment and head to Denver with the cash and ingots.

Lou and Maynard wait in a deserted body shop for Connie to bring Erskine to the rendezvous turned ambush. But the FBI knows a thing or two about ambushes themself - will be enough to save the Inspector?