It's Malloy's birthday and he makes it known to Reed, "no surprise parties". Sgt. MacDonald warns the officers about a rash of robberies using milk crates to break store windows. During a routine traffic stop, Reed notices a milk crate in the back of... (more) a car and surreptitiously marks it for identification later, and the thief is apprehended later using the same milk crate. Other calls include backing up a jewelry store robbery when the officers pull over for DUI the owner of said store, an embarrassed male purse snatching victim inside a negligee shop, a phony gas station worker at a closed gas station, a shootout in the police garage resulting from a drunk suspect officers failed to handcuff, and Officer Wells captures a B&E suspect based on a hunch by Malloy, who despite Reed's denials, continues to suspect a party is afoot until Reed gives his partner a present: a leather purse.