Man attempted to abduct young girls in Sullivan

SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTHI) - Sullivan is like a close knit community, where nearly everyone knows their neighbors.

That was until Friday evening, when police believe an unwanted neighbor showed up.

Sullivan County Sheriff's and Sullivan Police Departments received multiple phone calls from concerned parents, after their 9-year-old daughter and friend reported a man tried to lure them to his car.

"She ran into the house; she was crying; she was soaking wet from head to toe," said Jessica Fish.  "She said 'Mommy, some bad guy tried to get me and my friend.'"

According to Fish and police, the two girls were on their way home from another friend's house near the 1100 block of North State Street: a route they traveled often.

The man got out of the car and asked the young girls to help him fix his vehicle.

According to Fish, that's when the two ran and hid in a nearby ditch.

Police said the man continued following them for a while.  The girls, however, safely fled to the safety of their homes.

"This is somebody that's been watching these children for quite a long time, because, obviously, this isn't the first time it's happened. [They] take the same route every time," Fish said.

The suspect is described as:

• Caucasian male, with white hair and a white mustache.
• He was wearing a dark shirt and blue jeans.
• His car is described as an 80's make Mercury Cougar.
• It's white with a black stripe.
• The car had several hangers in the back, with a plaid shirt on one of them.

"With the information that's given to us, we just need to find the vehicle and take it from there," Sullivan Police Chief Jesse Morin said.

The two families said they understood just how lucky they were this weekend.

"The children of the city of Sullivan, they're everybody's kids, and I just call upon residents to be sure to keep a watchful eye out for not just their children but for all of our kids here in Sullivan," Sullivan Mayor Clint Lamb said.

The case is still under investigation.

If you have any information about the suspect, or might know of the location of the vehicle, call Crime Stoppers at (812) 238-STOP.