In a bizarre turn of events, a thief who broke into a gym in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, ended up receiving a punishment that was ironically on-brand — a forced workout. But the unconventional discipline ended in chaos when the young man made a daring escape by leaping from the third floor of the building.
Caught on CCTV Stealing Gym Equipment
According to The Daily Star, the incident took place at Power Gym Centre on the third floor of Boktiar Market in Kutupalong, Ukhiya. The gym’s owner, Abdullah Al Mamun, said the theft occurred on June 27, when he closed the gym for Friday prayers. During his absence, a thief broke the lock and took off with gym equipment including an inverter, batteries, and cables.
CCTV footage later helped identify the culprit, described as a youth who allegedly admitted to being a drug addict. He said he had stolen the items to feed his addiction.
Workout as Punishment Goes Viral
On July 9, gym-goers who recognised the thief at a nearby market brought him back to the gym. Instead of resorting to violence, Mamun said he instructed his members not to harm the suspect. Instead, they made him perform a short but intense workout as punishment, forcing him to do exercises for about four minutes — all of which was filmed.
The video quickly went viral on Bangladeshi social media, with captions jokingly praising the gym’s “gentle approach” to justice. Many netizens were amused by the creative punishment, saying it was a “fitting sentence” for stealing from a fitness centre.
Escape from the Third Floor
However, the moment turned serious when the thief suddenly bolted and jumped off the third floor onto a tin roof nearby, managing to escape. His identity remains unknown, and the gym owner has since received numerous calls after the video’s circulation.