Burglar breaks into escape room, then can't escape

No one wants to call for help in an escape room, especially if you've just broken into one.

Authorities in Vancouver, Washington, received emergency calls from a man on Sunday who'd broken into an escape room — only to find he genuinely couldn't escape from it.

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According to local newspaper The Columbian, 40-year-old Rye Wardlaw reportedly broke into Northwest Escape Experience in a strip mall on Sunday morning. 

The venue, like other escape rooms, offers themed rooms that require groups to solve puzzles in order to find their way out.

Tamara Bertrand, who owns the business with her husband, Rob, told the newspaper the suspect had badly damaged the escape room. He first attempted to break in through the back door, but then found his way into the office park’s electrical service room, where he found a key to the business in a lockbox.

Using the key, Wardlaw then reportedly opened a door that connected the two spaces, and caused some storage lockers to fall over. All of this, including the original damage to the back door, apparently caused Wardlaw to be unable to escape, so he called 911. Bertrand told The Columbian the business's call history showed four calls. According to the Clark County Sheriff's Office, Wardlaw reportedly told authorities he fled to the escape room because his own home was being robbed.

According to court records reported by the newspaper, Wardlaw eventually did make his way outside, and was arrested by deputies.

Wardlaw is reportedly looking at three counts of second-degree burglary, and will appear in court on July 20. He's already offered multiple, rather colorful explanations in court.

Although the Bertrands are looking at some frustrating damage to their small business, the escape rooms are currently back in operation. Tamara even joked to The Columbian, “We now have a zero percent escape rate with criminals." 

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