 Two supermarket robbers (Oley and Rucker) ensure success by taking the market managers  wives as hostages. After Mrs. Lewis identifies Rucker from a mug shot, Dan Mathews and his officers learn the two men s method of operation and can better predict where they might strike next. When Officer Dennis spots the two men s stolen car near the Hughes Supermarket, Dan knows that Oley is robbing the market while Rucker holds Ruth Austin (the manager s wife) as a hostage. Officer Dennis follows Oley at a distance while Dan and Sergeant Williams position themselves at the Austins  home. They intercept Oley and refuse his offer of a "deal", but they are well aware that split-second timing will be necessary to capture Rucker and prevent him from killing Mrs. Austin.