John Cummings is one of life's near failures. His job as a salesman is not going well. So, in a last ditch effort to impress his firm, he buys an expensive car that he cannot afford. The uninsured car is stolen and he is told by the police that there is a large car theft racket in the area, and that he is unlikely to see it again. Cummings loses his job and, near breaking point, he vows to retrieve his car no matter what the cost. He begins to delve into a sinister criminal underworld with potentially lethal consequences.