Once a Thief (Chinese: 縱橫四海; Literal Title: Criss-Cross Over Four Seas) is a 1991 Hong Kong heist comedy film directed by John Woo, who also wrote the screenplay with Janet Chun and Clifton Ko.

The film stars Chow Yun-fat, Leslie Cheung, Cherie Chung, Kenneth Tsang and Paul Chu.

The film was released theatrically in Hong Kong on 2 February 1991, before the lucrative Chinese Lunar New Year holiday season begins.

James (Leslie Cheung), Red Bean Pudding (Chow Yun-Fat) and Red Bean (Cherie Chung) are three orphans raised by crime lord Boss Chow (Kenneth Tsang), and grow up to become high end art thieves.

[2] J. Doyle Wallis of DVD Talk rated it 2.5/5 stars and called it "an odd and annoyingly silly entry during [John Woo's] most creative period".