MIDDLETOWN — The police are looking for a man who allegedly tried Tuesday morning to lure a Gaudet Middle School student from her bus stop into his car, with the promise that he would show her a “cute dog.”

The 12-year-old girl was alone at about 7:15 a.m. at a bus stop at Burton Place and Marshall’s Lane, near the playground at the Oxbow Farms residential complex, when she was approached by a man in a parked car who appeared to be Hispanic and in his 30s or 40s, with a mustache, long sideburns and short, spiked black hair, according to the police. The man was driving a red, boxy car with a large dent in the rear.

The man allegedly told the girl that he had a puppy in his car and tried to wave her over to him several times, but the girl shook her head no. The man apparently was scared off by an approaching car and drove off, the police said.

The police learned of the incident Tuesday afternoon, when the girl’s stepmother reported the alleged attempted child abduction to authorities.

The police sent a “Code Red” alert message to all Middletown residents with published phone numbers, informing them of the incident. The police also notified Laidlaw Bus Co. and surrounding police departments.

Anyone with information on the incident should contact Middletown police Detective Kelly Mitchell at 842-6500, ext. 7023, or by e-mailing kmitchell@middletownri.com.

mwims@projo.com