Ash and co. are passing through a town. A police car passes by getting Brock all excited. He thinks that Officer Jenny is in that car. He runs for the car but trips on an invisible thing. Ash and Misty walk up to Brock. Then something green floats down by Misty's face. Misty thinks it's cute until legs come out of it. Knowing that it is a bug, Misty freaks out.

Team Rocket passes by in thief costumes. They come to a building. Jessie tells Meowth to open the lock with its claws. Meowth tries to, but screams. Jessie quickly covers Meowth's mouth. She thinks that any other cat but him can open the lock. Then she goes on about how a great cat burgular, the Black Aracnid, could open any lock, and that they were only trying to follow its footsteps. James gets out a paper clip and successfully opens the lock. They look inside and see a bunch of art sculptures. James notices a sculpture made from pottery. They decide to take it. Suddenly, a man comes in and sees Team Rocket stealing the stuff. Team Rocket makes their getaway. They make something look like a Pay Day.

Later on, the police force comes in to investigate. It has been the third burglary this week. Officer Jenny knows that someone is trying to imitate the Black Aracnid. She tells the other officers to make sure Spinarak is doing a good job in finding the thieves. Another officer comes out and tells her that they found Ash and co. trapped in Spinarak's web. Officer Jenny looks at Ash and co. and says that they do not look like thieves. She frees them from the web and apologizes to them. She tells them that someone is trying to act like the Black Aracnid. Brock states that it is a master criminal who lived here over one hundred years ago. Misty points to the bottle caps with white circles around them. She thinks that it might be a clue. Then Officer Jenny notices that Ash and co. has a Pikachu and Togepi. She says that she heard from her sister in New Bark Town that Ash and co. are professional crime fighters. Then a Spinarak comes down. Misty gets scared, but Officer Jenny tells her not to worry. She lets Spinarak climb on her shoulder. Ash looks up Spinarak in his Pokédex. Ash wonders why Officer Jenny uses Spinarak instead of Growlithe. Officer Jenny tells him that it is a city tradition to use Spinarak for police work. She tells them a story about how the Black Aracnid was captured from a Spinarak years ago.

They walk into the police station. Misty sees a bunch of Spinarak everywhere. Officer Jenny tells them that the officers have built strong relationships with Spinarak. Brock wishes that he was a Spinarak so that he can be with Officer Jenny. Ash tells Officer Jenny that he would like to help catch the thieves. Officer Jenny agrees to have them help.

Team Rocket stands on top of a clock tower. Jessie tells her partners that their moves aren't good enough to get legendary status. Meowth is eating food from the pottery bowl. James is worried about his bottle cap collection since they are using it for the Pay Day move. He asks Jessie if they have to use them. She tells them that they do have to use them unless Meowth can learn Pay Day. James sighs in disappointment. Then James sees Meowth eating from the priceless pottery bowl, and he gets mad. Meowth decides to quit, but Jessie tells Meowth that they need him in order to follow the footsteps of the Black Aracnid. Jessie gets a plan. She decides to write a letter to the next victim telling the victim that a robbery will take place. According to her, the Black Aracnid was known for taunting victims. James likes her plan.

Brock makes an annoucement that the crime committee with now come to order. Ash makes a statement that he would like a burger and fries. Brock yells at Ash for making a silly statement. He tells Officer Jenny that he is just a kid. Suddenly, another officer comes in the room with an annoucement that they Black Aracnid is coming. They go to a man's house. The man was the one who got the letter. The letter stated that his trophy will be stolen by midnight. Officer Jenny isn't surprised since the original Black Aracnid used to send letters.

When the clock strikes five, the man begs Officer Jenny to save his trophy. Officer Jenny tells the man not to worry since they have the whole house protected. Ash goes outside and sends out Charizard, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Heracross. Squirtle hides in the pool, Bulbasaur hides in the flower patch, Heracross hides up in a tree, and Charizard stands very still to look like a Pokémon statue. Spinarak climbs up on a tree and shoots out a bunch of webs. Officer Jenny tells them that the web is very strong, so the Black Aracnid cannot escape from it.

At night, Ash and co. are waiting in the house. Ash yawns. Misty tells Ash not to fall asleep since it's almost midnight. Officer Jenny looks outside. So far the webs haven't caught anything. The clock finally strikes midnight. The thieves still haven't come. The man comes in and sees that his trophy is safe. He is very grateful and offers everyone a big meal. When everyone finishes their meal, they are all satisfied. The man offers them some dessert.

Suddenly, all the lights turn off. Team Rocket falls down from the ceiling, and they say their motto. Officer Jenny wants to know how they got in if the Pokémon were guarding the house. Team Rocket tells them that they were hiding in the attic all along. Then Team Rocket grabs the trophy and they go back through the roof. Their balloon crashes out from the roof and they begin to float away. All of a sudden, Team Rocket stops floating. Unfortunately for them, they are caught in one of Spinarak's webs. Team Rocket is angry because they won't become famous. James suggests that they use their fans. The fans begin to push the balloon a bit further from Ash and co. Ash chooses Squirtle. Squirtle uses Water Gun to soak Team Rocket. Then Bulbasaur comes out and uses Razor Leaf to put a tear in the balloon. Charizard's Flamethrower burns up the net and sends them flying. The man is sad because of his lost trophy. However, Spinarak shoots out a web and it directly lands on the balloon to prevent it from flying away. Charizard uses one last Tackle. Team Rocket loses the trophy and they blast off again.

All of the things that Team Rocket stole begins to fall to the ground. The Pokémon manages to catch everything but the trophy. Before the trophy can hit the ground, Spinarak uses its webs to safely prevent it from falling. The man gets his trophy back. The next day, Officer Jenny reports to Ash and co. that everything was returned safely. She thanks them for all of their help. Brock tells her that if she ever needs help again, she can contact him. Then Ash and co. say goodbye and they continue their way to Violet City. Meanwhile, Team Rocket is sobbing over their lost treasure. Jessie is blaming James and Meowth for their failure. They start to argue with each other, and soon enough a fight emerges.

English Official Summary

Ash and friends reach a new town and hear of three mysterious robbers apparently mimicking the crimes of a legendary master thief. The town rests its hopes in these young Trainers to somehow stop this criminal duo and their Meowth accomplice.

Italian Official Summary

Ash e amici raggiungono una nuova città, dove vengono a sapere che tre ladri misteriosi stanno ripetendo le gesta di un leggendario ladro… Riusciranno i nostri eroi a fermare i due malfattori accompagnati da un Meowth?

Portuguese Official Summary

Ash e os outros chegam numa cidade acometida por crimes que imitam um lendário mestre ladrão. As esperanças da cidade repousam em nossos treinadores... Como eles poderão impedir essa dupla criminosa e seu cúmplice Meowth?

Spanish Latin America Official Summary

Ash y sus amigos llegan a un pueblo acechado por crímenes que imitan a un legendario ladrón maestro. La esperanza del pueblo yace en estos jóvenes Entrenadores... ¿Detendrán a este dúo criminal y a su Meowth cómplice?

Spanish Official Summary

Ash y sus amigos llegan a una nueva ciudad donde oyen hablar de tres misteriosos ladrones que aparentemente imitan los delitos de un legendario maestro ladrón.

English Great Britian Official Summary

Ash and friends reach a new town and hear of three mysterious robbers apparently mimicking the crimes of a legendary master thief. The town rests its hopes in these young Trainers to somehow stop this criminal duo and their Meowth accomplice.

Dutch Official Summary

Ash en zijn vrienden bereiken een stad waar misdaden in navolging van een legendarische meesterdief worden gepleegd. Alle hoop is gericht op de jonge Trainers. Kunnen zij dit criminele duo en hun Meowth handlanger stoppen?

French Official Summary

Sacha et ses amis arrivent dans une nouvelle ville et entendent parler de trois mystérieux bandits qui semblent reproduire les crimes d'un légendaire maître voleur.

German Official Summary

Ash und seine Freunde erreichen einen Ort, wo die Geschichte von drei geheimnisvollen Räubern erzählt wird, die den Schandtaten eines legendären Meisterdiebs nacheifern.