A thief who stole without using violence, Breitwieser, is sentenced to four years in prison, including time served, and hefty fines in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Breitwieser's prison experience in the Swiss countryside is marked by manual labor, visits from his father, and gaining respect from other inmates due to the exaggerated value of his thefts.
Just over halfway through his sentence, Breitwieser is transported to a prison near Strasbourg, France. His conditions drastically worsen.
Breitwieser meets with the French investigator on the case, his lawyers, and his accomplice, Anne-Catherine. Their accounts of their crimes are not compatible, but Breitwieser insists he has misremembered and that Anne-Catherine was not involved.
Breitwieser remains in love with Anne-Catherine, despite their forced separation and her aloofness. He hopes they will be reunited after serving his sentence.
At the start of his French trial, Breitwieser learns that Anne-Catherine has given birth to a boy, fathered by someone else ten months after his arrest.