Hot Stuff

Detectives in Miami grow frustrated by their inability to convict criminals they arrest. Ernie reveals plans to retire and secure his pension. Captain Geiberger recruits Louise Webster to join the team, hoping a fresh perspective will help close cases.

Doug observes Hymie buying stolen merchandise inside his pawn shop and arrests him. The arrest triggers the idea of turning the operation into a broader sting to trap criminals dealing in stolen goods. The moment sets the plan in motion for undercover surveillance.

The team proposes a sting operation to catch criminals on tape using a portable VHS video camera. Geiberger secures the police chief's approval, with instructions to deny knowledge if information leaks. The plan marks a shift from routine arrests to an organized undercover operation.

Inside Hymie’s pawn shop, the team tests the videotape camera for sound quality and placement. Early results suggest the setup can capture enough evidence to prosecute suspects. The test run confirms the viability of the sting.

One night, three criminals rob the pawn shop of their earnings and later purchase a guard dog named Jaws to protect the shop. The incident escalates tension around Hymie’s operation and increases the perceived risk for undercover work. The team notes the need for better surveillance and control.

A young boy arrives wanting to sell a dog to feed his baby sister, and the detectives provide him with one hundred dollars. The gesture adds a human element to the sting and highlights the community impact of the operation. It also shows the detectives’ willingness to help beyond enforcement.

Carmine, a mob boss, arrives and threatens Ernie and Doug for trespassing into his business area. The confrontation underscores the turf war surrounding the pawn shop and the risks of undercover work. The detectives resolve to continue the sting despite the intimidation.

During the sting, the team encounters a hitman selling a revolver, an elderly woman trying to buy a toaster, and a British couple selling marijuana. The odd assortment of customers demonstrates the breadth of illegal activity the sting aims to uncover. The footage starts accumulating unusual leads.

Carmine’s men are spotted near the pawn shop, and two gunrunners attempt to sell a truckload of M76 submachine guns. The suspicious activity confirms the operation’s reach into weapon trafficking. Louise and Ramon document the scene from a distance as the case widens.

Louise and Ramon videotape from afar while Ernie and Doug are taken to a waterfront condominium construction site where the guns are stored. A shootout erupts and the gunrunners are arrested. The operation successfully disentangles the capers from Carmine’s mob.

Carmine sends a dead fish wrapped in newspapers as a threatening message. Undeterred, the team continues the sting and even resells some stolen items to stay in business long enough to build a stronger case. The persistent operation keeps pressure on Carmine’s network.

Geiberger reprimands them for misuse of police funds but is astonished to learn they have videotaped 171 suspects so far. The footage demonstrates the sting’s reach and potential for prosecutorial leverage. The tension between budget rules and investigative success peaks here.

Back at the pawn shop, Louise discovers that one Cuban cigar box contains a bomb. The bomb is thrown out, but it destroys Doug’s car, signaling the ever-present danger of the operation. The incident underscores the escalating stakes and Carmine’s desperation.

Before closing the operation, they stage a party to arrest the suspects en masse. Carmine arrives with his men and attacks Ernie and Doug, but the suspects and other officers rally to their aid and the mob is overwhelmed. In total, 250 suspects are arrested and 231 are convicted. Ernie refuses retirement and is promoted to lieutenant and assistant director of the burglary task force; Doug and Louise begin a romantic relationship that eventually leads to marriage.