Police in Thunder Bay, Ontario stop search but continue watching for escaped inmate
Police say 48-year-old man left through facility's service door during routine delivery
Philip Robert Crosby, an inmate at the Thunder Bay District Jail, escaped from the facility around 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, prompting a lockdown at nearby schools, police in the Ontario city said.
A search of the immediate area with the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police did not locate Crosby, and the search has been terminated. However, police remain vigilant in looking for the man, through extra patrols in the area, said Cst. Julie Tilbury.
"Just call 911 immediately if you have any information to offer, or if you see this male and we will have officers attend immediately and deal with the situation," she said.
'Hold and secure' at local schools lifted
The Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board and Lakehead Public Schools placed a total of nine schools in a "hold and secure" position, but both boards lifted the order shortly before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon. However, the boards were encouraging parents to pick up children who usually walk home.
Separate schools in the lockdown included St. Ignatius High School, Bishop Gallagher Senior Elementary, St. Paul School, St. Margaret School and St. Bernard School.
Lakehead Public Schools had also placed three elementary schools, Claude E. Garton Public School, St. James Public School and Vance Chapman Public School, as well as Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute in 'hold and secure'.
1/2 Our Hold & Secure has now been lifted. There is extra police presence in the area, parents are encouraged to pick up students. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tbay?src=hash">#tbay</a>
—@TBCDSB_IgnatiusAn advisory on the public school board's Facebook page described 'hold and secure' as "a response to a threat and/or incident in the general vicinity of a school, but not on or very near to school property. School life continues as normal inside the school; however, as a precautionary measure, outer doors are locked and no one enters or leaves the building."
According to police, the 48-year-old Crosby escaped through a service entry as deliveries were being made.
Police said Crosby was in custody for driving offences, resisting arrest offences and breach of court orders.
He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue boxer shorts and socks and was headed southwest toward the Dawson Court property, police said.
Anyone who sees the male is asked to call 911 immediately.