PAYETTE -- Police are searching for a man who broke out of the Payette County Jail just after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The sheriff's department says 27-year-old Nicholas Grove of Ontario, Oregon scaled a fence in the recreation yard, climbing over the razor wire to escape. He was last spotted wearing a white T-shirt, black shorts or sweatpants and no shoes.
Grove was seen headed west from the Payette County Courthouse and spotted later by the North 6th Street overpass in Payette.
The Payette Primary School and Westside Elementary School were placed on lockdown as a precaution, but the lockdown was lifted at about 10:15 a.m. Payette School District Superintendent Pauline King says police told her Grove was no longer in the immediate area.
Grove was originally arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, possession of burglary tools and an invalid license. He is 5-foot-11, and 150 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.
A warrant with a $500,000 bond has been issued for his arrest.
Anyone who spots Grove is urged to call their local law enforcement agency.
Ontario Police Chief Mark Alexander says his officers are searching for the escapee in Oregon as well, in case he crossed the state line. Grove is well known to Ontario law enforcement, Alexander said.
Grove was arrested in early July after a burglar broke into the Malheur Education Service District building in Vale, making off with thousands of dollars in equipment and supplies.
Among the stolen items were 14 laptops earmarked for local high school students, checks and gift cards to Walmart and Staples.
Grove was arrested after surveillance video showed him using the gift cards at Walmart stores in Ontario and Nampa.
