A child murderer is at-large in a German city. The city is paralyzed with fear as yet another girl disappears. Frantic to restore their city’s calm and apprehend the fiend, the police scour the city looking for any clues that could lead them to the culprit. The viewer knows it is the unassuming Hans Beckert (Peter Lorre), an otherwise seemingly mild-mannered man, who is stalking and preying on these unsuspecting children. Public officials demand even more action as the citizens’ fear reaches the point of hysteria. This results in an abrupt halt to organized crime throughout the city. In order to continue operating, the local beggars band together to track and capture the murderer.