Sgt Cannon Tommy Cannon and PC Ball Bobby Ball run the police station in the quiet town of Little Botham When the station is threatened with closure due to a lack of crime they decide to invent some crimes to justify their existence When they try to steal a painting from a local rich businessman Roy Kinnear they accidently stumble across a gang of real art thieves who have just stolen 1 million worth of paintings It is up to the two bungling cops to stop them escaping with their haul