Female inmates on the lam nabbed in escape room

Ironic twist as police find pair of prisoners who fled prison at amusement centre

Escape rooms are interactive adventure games, not hideouts for fugitives on the lam.

That’s what two female inmates discovered when they were arrested at SideQuests Adventures Inc. at 10190 104 St. on Tuesday evening.

Jonathan Liaw, co-owner of SideQuests Adventures Inc., said two women came in and asked what an escape room was about and wanted to see one of the rooms, not an unusual request.

“It’s funny and ironic that escaped convicts run into an escape room and get caught,” Liaw said Wednesday. His wife, co-owner of the business, was showing the pair a room when a police officer arrived around 8:30 p.m., asking if two women had walked in and whether they had an appointment.

A member of the public had seen the women on the street and alerted police.

Neither Liaw nor his wife had seen the news that two women inmates had jumped the east fence of the Edmonton Institution for Women at 11151 178 St. on Monday.

“There were no warning signs or red flags about them,” Liaw said.

Kelsie Laine Marie Mast, 23, was serving a sentence of two years, nine months for trafficking in a controlled substance, theft, possession of property obtained by crime, mischief and failing to comply with conditions.

Samantha Faye Toope, 20, was serving a two-year sentence for robbery, theft, possession of property obtained by crime, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle while disqualified, failure to attend court and failing to comply with conditions.

Police had advised the public not to approach the women.

The pair were back in the custody of Correctional Service Canada on Wednesday, which was investigating how the escape occurred.