The Hot Rock

John Dortmunder completes his prison sentence and undergoes the exit process, retrieving his personal belongings and old clothes. The warden gives him a rather sarcastic rehabilitation speech, hinting that he might see John again in the future.

As John walks out of prison, he is pursued by a car driven by Andrew Kelp, an old acquaintance. Initially alarmed, John punches Kelp when he catches up, unaware that Kelp is now married to his sister.

Kelp takes John to a museum to discuss a plan to steal The Sahara Stone, a valuable diamond. John is skeptical about the feasibility of the heist but reluctantly agrees to meet with The Doctor, the financier behind the plan.

At a park, John and Kelp meet The Doctor who reveals his motivation for stealing The Sahara Stone: to secure it for his struggling nation. He offers a lucrative payment of $25,000 per man, convincing John to consider the job despite his reservations.

Kelp and John scout for additional members to join their heist team, including Stan Murch and Alan Greenberg. They discuss the dangers and logistics of the job, weighing the risks involved in stealing the heavily guarded diamond.

The team engages in meticulous planning, involving night-time surveillance of the museum. They study the guards' routines and the security measures around The Sahara Stone, devising a way to distract the guards during the heist.

On the night of the heist, the team puts their plan into action. John and Kelp, disguised as museum guards, successfully enter the display room where the Stone is housed after a series of distractions.

During the chaotic heist, Stan causes a distraction by crashing a car, feigning an accident to draw the guards out. His actions lead to unexpected complications that put them further at risk.

As Kelp and John manage to lift the display case and retrieve The Sahara Stone, chaos ensues with guards closing in. Kelp accidentally gets trapped inside the case as the team barely escapes detection.

The next day, Kelp reads about their failed heist in the newspaper, realizing they have lost the Stone. As tensions rise, they ponder their next move to reclaim the diamond amid their mounting troubles.

Kelp proposes a daring plan to break Greenberg out of prison since he possesses vital information regarding The Sahara Stone. They enlist the help of The Doctor to orchestrate the escape.

The team executes the escape plan at the prison, but the operation is fraught with challenges. They dodge guards and face unexpected hurdles as they attempt to get Greenberg out safely.

Once outside the prison, the group embarks on a frantic search for The Stone as Greenberg provides misleading information about its whereabouts. Their resolve to reclaim the diamond drives them deeper into chaos.

After several misadventures, the team finally confronts the roots of their troubles with the lawyer and work out a plan involving deceit to finally secure The Sahara Stone. Tensions flare as loyalties are tested.

In the last act, John uses a clever ruse involving hypnosis to retrieve The Stone from the bank without drawing attention. The group's chaotic journey comes to a surprising resolution as they celebrate their success.