Rice Pot Sammo Hung Kam-Bo and Chimney Frankie Chan Fan-Kei are two quick-handed pickpockets who work under their seasoned mentor Kam Ming (Lau Hak-Suen) and his daughter Ann (Pang Sau-Ha). They form a tight-knit trio with a shared knack for slipping through crowds and slipping away with valuables, a talent that brings them into contact with Inspector Ling Ah-nam (Deanie Ip Tak-Han), a sharp, dedicated officer who is investigating a daring diamond robbery. Ling soon becomes entangled with the trio when she asks them to assist in a high-stakes theft: snatching a box of diamonds from the elusive Chow Ming-shing (Peter Chan Lung).
Ling explains that she must leave for 2 to 3 months on an undercover mission, a revelation that unsettles the trio yet also binds them to the case. She insists that the three of them help with the plan to recover the diamonds, claiming it could take down a dangerous criminal network. When the moment of truth arrives, the trio follows Ling’s lead and pretends to hand over the diamonds to Chow Ming-shing as part of a sting operation. The tension rises as the plan unravels: the diamonds Ling provides turn out to be fake, and what seemed like a straightforward theft becomes a web of mistrust and shifting loyalties. On Chow’s ship, a fierce confrontation erupts, culminating in a dramatic clash between Rice Pot and one of Shing’s formidable henchmen (Dick Wei) and a final, decisive showdown with Chow Ming-shing himself.
The fight leaves Rice Pot and Chimney battered but victorious in broad strokes, and the pair—together with Ann—manage to bring the criminal plot to a close by killing Chow Ming-shing and his elite enforcer. Yet Ling’s motives remain murky, and her attempt to slip away with the real diamonds is thwarted when the three thieves cross paths with Ng Heung-kan (Richard Ng Yiu-Hon) at the airport. A tense chase ensues, and the diamonds are nearly lost in the scramble, forcing a swift, decisive moment that tests loyalties to the limit.
The story closes with a text epilogue that lays out the fates of the principal players. Rice Pot, Chimney, and Ann are convicted of theft and murder, receiving sentences of seven, five, and three years, respectively. Kam Ming is charged with theft and receiving stolen goods and given a two-year term. Ling Ah-nam faces charges of impersonating a police officer and cheating and is sentenced to ten years. Ng Heung-kan is recognized for his role in uncovering an international criminal operation and is promoted to police inspector, marking a formal win for the officer who stood in the way of the criminals at crucial moments. The film threads together action, wit, and ever-shifting loyalties, leaving a trail of stylish capers and a clear line between trust and betrayal.
