Parents in Rockland are on alert as police search for a man they say attempted to lure a young girl into his car.

Police say a 12-year-old middle school girl was walking her normal route to school yesterday along South Midland Avenue when a middle-aged man in a white four-door vehicle pulled up alongside her. The man tried to lure her in his car, but the girl fled toward her school. She reported the luring later that afternoon.

The driver is described as white, heavy set, balding and driving a vehicle with New York plates.

While Orangetown police say the girl did the right thing by running away, they wish she had reported the incident right away to her teachers. "We ask that if that does happen, we need to be notified or some police department as soon as possible," says Detective George Garrecht.

Police say they are beefing up patrols during the school hours. Anyone with information is asked to call the Orangetown Police Department at 845-359-3700.