After millionaire Erastus Browning and his daughter Charlotte, a playwright, attend a crime play, Charlotte complains that the crook characters are not true to life. To prove her point, aided by supposed criminal Bidwell Wright, Charlotte invites a number of notorious criminals to her home for a party. The crooks all believe they have been invited to form an international family of thieves, headed by Charlotte and her father. Charlotte's character studies are continually interrupted by criminal activities. At the garden party, Benny the Chipmunk picks the pockets of every male present, then Charlotte's father is vamped by Boston Fanny, who steals his cash and jewelry, as well as his heart. The crooks ransack the neighborhood and become obstreperous. Bidwell Wright manages to get the criminals to leave, reveals himself to be a noted criminologist and agrees to help Charlotte complete her play.—AFI