The Incredible Theft is the eight episode of series 1 of the ITV British television drama series Agatha Christie's Poirot featuring David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, first broadcast on 26 February 1989 in the UK. Lord Charles Mayfield is throwing a house party to conceal a meeting to discuss top-secret plans for a fighter plane, as well as catching out a spy in the process. The bait is the plans for the new fighter but Mayfield's wife is so concerned that she asks Hercule Poirot to spend the weekend at their house to make sure Vanderlyn doesn't get away with anything. The Incredible Theft. This Poirot short story first appeared as, “The Submarine Plans,” in 1923 and was later expanded. The plans stolen in this story refer to a new bomber and the theft takes place after a dinner party hosted by Lord Mayfield, First Minister of Armaments. In order to get back into the government's good books, he decides to lay a trap for Mrs. Vanderlyn, a known Nazi sympathizer and possible spy. The text is longer, with more details, the character names have been changed and the plans, originally that of a submarine, have been changed to that of a bomber aircraft. A private house in Surrey is used as the 'Mayfield' residence. THE INCREDIBLE THEFT. COPYRIGHT - PAULINE HANNAFORD. • 1937, Collins Crime Club (London), 15 March 1937, Hardback, 288 pp with thanks to Pauline Hannaford for the photo. Poirot is summoned urgently to help recover the plans of a revolutionary new bomber which had been stolen. The plot is very similar to The Submarine Plans. But when the plans are snatched only Hercule Poirot can solve the mystery... From Murder in the Mews. The episode is an adaptation of the Agatha Christie short story of the same name and was directed by Edward Bennett with dramatisation by David Reid and Clive Exton. & they stroll through the Birdhouse together. Poirot meets Lady Margaret Mayfield by the old Penguin Pool at London Zoo.