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Police say man tried to use dog to lure 12-year-old girl at Pontoon Beach school bus stop

'He had told her, 'My dog really likes you. He thinks you're really cute. He'd probably like it if you came in the truck.' Those were her words.'

PONTOON BEACH, Ill. — Police arrested a man who they said tried to use a dog to lure and abduct a 12-year-old girl waiting at her school bus stop. 

It happened on Thursday morning, when the Pontoon Beach Police Department said 78-year-old Gerald Sugg Sr. approached the intersection of Eastgate and Lakeview Drives in Pontoon Beach. 

Tiffany Tindall told Five On Your Side the girl ran to her home for help after the incident.

"She said, 'Some guy tried to take me. I'm scared. I need to go home to my mom,'" said Tindall.

Tindall said the child told her Sugg tried to grab her.

"He had told her, 'My dog really likes you. He thinks you're really cute. He'd probably like it if you came in the truck.' Those were her words."

Tindall called police and they soon tracked down Sugg in his truck. 

"There aren't monsters with fangs and big beady eyes out in the world," said Josh Walton, who had a daughter waiting at the same bus stop. "They look like me and you."

At another bus stop on Thursday, 13-year-old Garrett Redden said Sugg drove by, asking him if he missed his bus. 

"Another bus came by and I acted like that was my bus so he didn't try nothing," he said, adding that not too long before, he had heard some children at the other bus stop screaming. 

Denise Elmore lives near the bus stop. She said Sugg frequently visits the area, sometimes driving around a dozen times. She added that his son lives nearby. 

"I never thought he'd do something like this," she said.

Even though Sugg was arrested, police continue to investigate. Chief Christopher Modrusic said they want to hear from parents throughout the Metro East whose children could have had interactions with Sugg last school year.

"We believe this may have been going on for a while," said Modrusic.

Anyone with information on this case should call Pontoon Beach Police immediately. 

Sugg is out on bond as of Friday. 

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