Three Brooke County schools were on lockdown for about 45 minutes after a man tried to break into a home.

As of 4:45 p.m., police were still searching for the attempted robber.

According to NEWS9, school officials at Hooverson Heights Primary School said they were told there was a man at-large who had tried to break in to a nearby home before 11 a.m. Administrators then put the school on lockdown.

Even though the attempted break-in happened in the Hooverson Heights area, the Follansbee Middle School and Jefferson Primary School were also put on lockdown.

The lockdown started shortly before 10:30 a.m. and was lifted around 11:15 a.m. At one point, police officers were stationed at all three schools.

Brooke County Sheriff Chuck Jackson said the robber knocked on a door at a house on Elaine Avenue and tried to force his way in when a woman answered. The woman shut the door and the man fled.

Rob Robinson, Brooke County Schools facilities director, explained the reason for the schools’ lockdowns.

“If there’s a threat outside, we have an external lockdown. That’s where we secure the building, close all the blinds on the ground level, make everyone aware, try to maintain a normal school atmosphere with all the kids going to class and everything. We don’t allow any visitors in or out,” Robinson said. “Every school practices it. We have policies in place to address this so it's no problem at all. It's just the way we operate for the safety of the kids. … They may not even realize it, which is what we want. We want to maintain the normal school routine so the kids don't get excited.”

He said police and school officials approved lifting the lockdowns.

“They did their investigation. We went through and they approved it and we went out of lockdown at 11:15 (a.m.),” Robinson said.

Even though school officials lifted the lockdown within 45 minutes, deputies are still looking for the man who tried to break in to the home.

Investigators said the attempted robber is a white man in his 20s or 30s with dirty blond or light brown hair. Witnesses last saw him in the area of Rockdale Road and Church Street wearing a Pittsburgh Steelers jacket with a large Steelers emblem on the back.

Anyone with information is asked to call police or the NEWS9 Lauttamus Security Crime Busters Tipline at 800-862-BUST. Tips can also be emailed to crimebusters@wtov.com.