In the heart of bustling London, Episode 1 of "Steal" unfolds with a wild night of partying for Zara, who has been dealing with nosebleeds in the morning. The next morning, she meets with a new intern, Myrtle Clarke, at Lochmill Capital, an investment firm nestled in the city's financial district.
Meanwhile, a group of suspicious figures gather in the streets of London and head towards Lochmill's office. As they enter the elevator, they suddenly brandish guns, gloves, and earpieces. The receptionist is swiftly bagged, and security is taken down without a sound. The phones are disconnected, and every worker on the trade floor is held hostage, forced to relinquish their phones.
One of the men tries to bargain with the thieves, explaining that if they fired their loud gun, it could alert everyone. He doesn't think they're going to kill anyone. However, instead of firing their gun, one of the thieves beats the guy bloody and drags him away.
The Trade Processing team, including Myrtle, is singled out. But Zara covers for her, pointing out that she's only an intern. The other workers are kept in the conference room at gunpoint, while Zara and the other team members are taken to their desks. They're forced to load up six new trades from a USB drive, worth over $4 billion. This includes pensions and other social welfare amounts. Zara's colleague, Luke, is also here and is forced to commit the trades and then pass over the USB.
Next, those who can sign off trades – which include members of the Investment Committee – are forced to approve them all and send them along. Those who sign include an older man, George Cartwright, and a poor guy who's late to work, Milo.
Zara is actually the final part of this ordeal, forced to put her signature to the trades. However, none of the workers are going anywhere; they also need to approve the trades with the custodian bank. The tension and fear are palpable as the thieves methodically rob the investment firm, leaving their victims with no choice but to comply with their demands.
As Luke struggles to compose himself amidst the phone's incessant ringing, Zara is reluctantly thrust into the role of answering the call. She faces a formidable challenge, yet she maintains her composure long enough to assure the caller that the funds are legitimate and to urge for an immediate transfer. Unfortunately, they are also forced to wait for the money to reach the accounts of these deceitful individuals.
One of the men within the conference room seizes his opportunity and rushes towards the window. He attempts to communicate with the men in the adjacent skyscraper and manages to capture their attention. However, his plan falls apart as he is met with the same fate as the other man in the hallway—beaten bloody, knocked unconscious, and dragged away.
The thieves are now on high alert, uncertain if the building opposite has been alerted. This causes them to panic and consider aborting their plan. However, when they receive confirmation of the money transfer, they lock everyone inside the conference room and make their escape. The police arrive too late, allowing the thieves to escape unharmed.
As the workers are left shaken and disoriented, Zara is approached by DCI Rhys Covac, the senior investigating officer on the case. He commends Zara for her quick thinking and selflessness. When Zara suffers another nosebleed, she retreats to the toilet. While in one of the stalls, she overhears a group of women discussing how this may have been an inside job. They vow to keep an eye out for anyone who doesn't show up at work as a potential witness. A sly smile crosses Zara's face, suggesting that she might be involved in some way.
