Man meets unexpected fate when he breaks into murder-themed escape room

There is something charming about a hapless burglar who accidentally botches his own job. Rye Daniel Wardlaw, aged 40, did just that. In 2018, he broke into Vancouver’s Northwest Escape Experience, which is located inside a shopping mall, and couldn’t find a way back out.

Having tried and failed to get into the centre through a back door, the persistent burglar used a key found in a lockbox to open the mall’s electrical room which eventually brought him to an adjoining unlocked door that led into NW Escape Experience. He knocked down the storage lockers placed there as a makeshift barrier and found himself, at long last, at his destination.

What went wrong?

Unfortunately for Wardlaw, there is a ‘but’. The escape room centre is made up of three rooms, designed to reveal the exit only once participants have figured out a series of interactive riddles and puzzles. Once Wardlaw had broken in and wandered about in the dark, he couldn’t find his way back out again. And it gets worse.

Murder-themed escape rooms awaited him inside

One room is named The Kill Room, complete with fake blood splatter, an autopsy table and a skeleton. The second recreates the scene of an FBI investigation and the third looks like the aftermath of a crazy Las Vegas night out with bras tossed on the floor.

When he couldn’t find the exit, he panicked and phone records show he called 911 four times. Wardlaw described a home invasion and gave the police a fake address, but they were able to track the call and made their way to NW Escape Experience.

Read more: Police arresting people for horrific TikTok prank that involves sushi and saliva

What did he steal?

As this whole affair was supposed to be a robbery, Wardlaw grabbed the essentials and, having managed to locate an exit, made a dash for it - right into awaiting police officers who had arrived at the scene. When they found him he was eating a burrito, having worked up an appetite from all the criminal activity. It seems he stole a cell phone, TV remote and a beer from the mini fridge, but the burrito he had brought with him. He told the officers he was homeless.

When the owners, Rob and Tamara Bertrand, received a 5AM call explaining that there had been a break-in at their business, they expected the worst, but once they arrived at the scene of the crime, it became clear that the damage was minimal and in the end they could see the funny side:

At that point all we could do was laugh

According to Clark County Jail records, Wardlaw was charged with second-degree burglary. The escape rooms were open as usual the next day and the couple clearly bounced back from the experience quickly: for the month that followed, they offered a burglar2018 promo code.

Read more:

⋙ Jane Birkin: Attempted burglary of the singer's Paris home, two days after her death

⋙ Molly-Mae finally buys dream home after terrifying burglary

Sources used:

Newsweek: Burglar Breaks Into Escape Room and Calls 911 Because He Can't Escape

USA Today:Robber breaks into escape room. Then, calls 911 because he can't get out

Global news: Alleged burglar gets trapped in Washington escape room, calls 911 on self

CBS News: Burglar breaks into escape room business, calls 911 when he can't get out, owner says