Dramatic CCTV has emerged of the moment a man tried to abduct a 13-year-old girl from a general store in Florida.
The footage shows the man dragging the teen towards the exit as her mother tries to stop him, getting into a tug-of-war.
The suspect – identified as 30-year-old Craig Bonello – eventually let go and ran out of the store.
As he entered the car park in Hernando, an off-duty police officer happened to be driving in.
After the Dollar General Store's manager yelled for assistance, Deputy Jonathan Behnen blocked Bonello's path with his car.
Deputy Behnen then pulled out his service weapon and ordered Bonello from his own vehicle.
After an initial hesitation, Bonello complied and was taken into custody.
Citrus County Sheriff’s Office said Bonello had been arrested several times before, most recently in February for trespassing.
He is reportedly not a registered sex offender.
"In my 10 years on the road I have never seen anything like this," Sergeant Craig Callahan said at the scene.
"He truly intended to abduct this child right in front of everyone in the store. We are very fortunate our deputy was there as quickly as he was.
"We are very fortunate that the mother had that motherly instinct and did what she did. She may have saved her daughter's life today.
“I don't exactly know a motive, but I know it wasn't a good one.
"Behnen is a bona fide hero today," said Capt. Ricky Grant, who was also at the scene.
"If it weren't for him, this guy would have gotten away."
The girl has been offered counselling. She and her mother were uninjured.
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