“THE KIDNAPPING STORY OF LEONARD FIRESTONE—AN AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN, IN 1966”

The story of the aborted kidnapping of Leonard Firestone in 1966 is a bizarre blend of high-society drama, bungled criminal planning, and a lethal police sting operation. It remains one of the most cinematic, yet tragic, footnotes in the history of Beverly Hills.

 

The Target: Leonard K. Firestone

Leonard Firestone (1907–1996) was a titan of industry—the son of Harvey Firestone, founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. At the time of the incident, he was the president of the company's California operations and lived in a lavish mansion at 919 North Alpine Drive in Beverly Hills. He was a pillar of the community, a friend to future President Gerald Ford, and a high-profile target for anyone looking for a massive payout.

The Plot: The "Mr. Corvette" Caper

The scheme was cooked up by Calvin "Cal" Bailey, a 44-year-old ex-convict and sports car enthusiast known in racing circles as "Mr. Corvette." Bailey was desperate; he had recently failed at an insurance fraud attempt involving a bowling alley and was drowning in debt.

·        The Plan: Bailey intended to kidnap Leonard Firestone and hold him for a ransom of between $2 million and $8 million.

·        The Partner: He recruited George Skalla, a 25-year-old petty criminal.

·        The Method: They planned to gain entry to the Firestone mansion by posing as parcel delivery drivers. Bailey even prepared a rubber Halloween ghoul mask to wear during the abduction to hide his identity.

 

The Investigation: The Informant and the Trap:

The "finding" that cracked the case occurred before the crime even started. Skalla, terrified of Bailey’s volatility and the scale of the crime, turned informant. He contacted the Beverly Hills Police Department, telling them that Bailey had threatened to kill him if he backed out.

Instead of arresting Bailey immediately, the police decided to set a "theatrical" trap:

1.   The Sting: They turned the Firestone mansion into a fortress. A Beverly Hills policewoman dressed as a maid and answered the door.

2.   The Hidden Force: Three detectives armed with shotguns and pistols hid in the foyer behind the "maid."

3.   The Getaway: Police even rented a getaway car for Skalla to "steal" to ensure the criminals felt the plan was going smoothly.

 

The "Arrest" and Fatal Confrontation:

On the evening of January 13, 1966, the plan went into motion.

·        6:20 PM: Bailey and Skalla pulled into the Firestone driveway. Bailey was wearing his rubber Halloween mask and surgical gloves, carrying a .38-caliber revolver.

·        The Entry: They rang the doorbell and announced "parcel delivery." When the undercover policewoman opened the door, the two men burst in.

·        The Shootout: The police immediately opened fire. In the chaos, the plan for Skalla (the informant) to "hit the deck" to avoid being shot went horribly wrong.

Casualties: * Calvin Bailey was killed instantly in the hail of gunfire.

·        George Skalla, the man who had warned the police, was also struck. He died three hours later in the hospital, a victim of the very trap he helped set.

 

Courtroom Verdicts and Findings:

Because both primary suspects were killed at the scene, there were no criminal trials or verdicts in the traditional sense. A coroner’s inquest later ruled that the police were justified in their use of deadly force, as both men had entered the home with drawn weapons and clear intent to commit a violent felony.

The police were criticized by some for the "Old West" nature of the trap—specifically that the informant was killed in the crossfire—but the official finding was that the officers acted to protect the life of the "maid" and themselves when the suspects "stormed" the entrance.

 

The Aftermath:

The incident sent shockwaves through the American elite.

·        Security Shift: The Firestone case prompted a massive increase in private security for industrialist families. Wealthy individuals began moving away from "open" mansions toward gated communities and high-tech surveillance.

·        The Informant's Legacy: George Skalla's death became a cautionary tale for the FBI and local police regarding the safety of informants during "live" sting operations.

·        Leonard Firestone's Resilience: Firestone himself remained a prominent figure, later serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium (1974–1977). He rarely spoke of the night his foyer became a battlefield, though he remained a staunch supporter of law enforcement for the rest of his life.

"It was like a movie script that ended in a real cemetery." — Local news report following the shootout.

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