Mahwah police: Man offers 9-year-old girl candy, then grabs her arm

MAHWAH, N.J. (WABC) -- Police are investigating an attempted luring of a child in Mahwah.

Authorities say the incident involved a 9-year-old on Margaret Court around 9 p.m. Tuesday.

The girl told police she was playing near the mailboxes with her sister and friends when the suspect approached her in a dark-colored sedan, asking her if she wanted candy. Then, when she said no and resisted, the man allegedly pulled his car closer to her and grabbed her arm, leaving abrasions and red marks.

The child ran away safely to her parents, and the man drove off.

"It's shocking because I thought this whole area was supposed to be safe," one area resident said.

Parents in the quiet community were stunned when detectives came knocking on their doors, alerting them to be on the lookout for the man in the sketch.

Police used a reverse 911 call to alert residents to be on the lookout for the suspect, described as a dark-skinned male with a scar on the left side of his face and a gold tooth, driving a four-door dark-colored sedan, possibly an older-model Mitsubishi.

"We're following as many leads as we can," Mahwah police Detective Michael Grassi said. "We've hit up a bunch of the stores, a bunch of the local agencies, we've used plate reader systems."

Mahwah police are providing increased presence at local schools and the area surrounding the incident.