A burglar in Vancouver found himself living through a real-life escape room scenario—except he failed the challenge spectacularly.
Rye Daniel Wardlaw, 40, allegedly broke into the Northwest Escape Experience, a business designed for people who want the thrill of figuring out how to escape from locked rooms.
Unfortunately for Wardlaw, he didn’t read the instructions before playing.
The Ultimate Escape Room Fail
After breaking into the puzzle-based entertainment venue, Wardlaw found himself trapped inside with no way out.
In a moment of desperation that deserves a special place in the criminal hall of fame, he used a stolen cell phone to call 911 on himself.
“He apparently didn’t know how to use the lock on the front door and was stuck,” Tamara Bertrand, who owns the escape room with her husband, told FOX 12.
A Not-So-Smooth Criminal
By the time officers arrived on scene, Wardlaw had somehow managed to free himself and was spotted walking away from behind the center at around 4 a.m.
In a bold strategy that definitely didn’t work out, he reportedly denied being anywhere near the business—despite having called 911 from inside it just moments earlier.
That’s right. He called the police on himself and then tried to convince them he wasn’t there.
When confronted with this logical impossibility, Wardlaw changed his story faster than someone trying to speed-run an escape room.
He claimed he was homeless and just looking for shelter, which led him to break into the electrical room and punch a hole in the wall.
The “Mission Impossible” Burrito Break
According to court documents, during his burglary adventure, Wardlaw took a snack break.
He allegedly entered another nearby business with an unlocked door to use the bathroom and eat a burrito.
Because nothing works up an appetite quite like breaking and entering, apparently.
After his impromptu meal, he returned through the hole he had created in the wall, swiped a cell phone from the front desk, and then found himself unable to leave. He also reportedly broke the back door handle while frantically trying to escape.
A Violation of Trust
For the business owners, the incident was no laughing matter.
“I feel violated,” said Rob Bertrand, who owns the escape room with his wife.
“We’re a small business. We put our heart, soul and money into this place to make it work. Our goal is to bring fun to families and businesses, and it doesn’t feel good to get taken advantage of.”
According to Clark County Jail records, Wardlaw was charged with second-degree burglary and held on a $40,000 bond. Records also show he has a previous charge of possession of a stolen vehicle.
While most customers pay for the thrill of trying to escape from the Northwest Escape Experience, Wardlaw managed to create his own free version with some unexpected bonus features: actual criminal charges and a trip to jail.