An abduction attempt was thwarted recently, thanks to the quick thinking of the Bridesburg Town Watch and the actions of a very brave mother.

According to Sharon Krause, community relations officer for the 15th Police District, the abduction attempt occurred on the evening of Friday, Oct. 2, as two young girls were walking along the 4200 block of Salmon St.

Krause said that at about 9:15 p.m., the 11-year-old girls were approached by two men who claimed to have lost a cell phone.

The officer said the girls initially were suspicious and started to run, and one of the men, later identified as Jeffery Meyers, 23, of Bridesburg, chased them.

When the girls reached one of the youths' home, Krause said, Meyers followed them onto the porch and grabbed one girl by the arm.

"They were banging on the door, and the mother came out," the officer said.

Krause said the girl's mother noticed the man holding her daughter and she "hauled off and struck the guy," and chased him away.

The mother phoned police, but before officers arrived, members of the Bridesburg Town Watch arrived on scene to get a description of Meyers.

Krause said that it was through the help of Frank Kruzinski, president of the Bridesburg Town Watch, that police were able to apprehend the man.

Contacted on Monday, Oct. 12, Kruzinski said the only reason he was able to help was because at the time, the information on the police radio was asking officers to be on the lookout for a man in a camouflage jacket.

But, that wasn't Meyers, said Kruzinski; instead, the jacket was worn by the other man who didn't chase after the children.

"When they put that out on the radio, the police were looking for a guy in a camo jacket," said Kruzinski.

But, he said that at the site of the incident - which he was at moments after Meyers ran off - Kruzinski was given a more complete description of the offender from one of the young victims.

"So, police were looking for the other guy, but I was out there looking for the guy that the child described," he said.

In his conversation with the girls and others at the scene, Kruzinski said that he had learned of a man who was wearing a black hoodie, blue dungarees and "smelled like he had been drinking."

After looking around the neighborhood, Kruzinski said he spotted a man who matched the girl's description "to a T" walking along the 2500 block of Orthodox St. He followed the man a short way and he flagged down a passing police vehicle.

But, even after attracting the attention of Sgt. Kevin McDevitt of the15th District, Kruzinski said that the officer was initially skeptical because Meyers' appearance didn't match the camouflage jacket description on the police radio.

"I waved down the police, and the sergeant tells me that it's not the right guy," recalled Kruzinski. "But, (the victim) described him to a T."

Trusting the town watch president, McDevitt apprehended Meyers, and Kruzinski said, the girl later made a positive identification of Meyers as her attempted abductor.

"If it wasn't for myself tracking him down, the sergeant would have gone right by," said Kruzinski. "It was a good heads-up call, and I'm just glad we have a good relationship with the 15th district."

Meyers was arrested and charged with kidnapping and assault.

Reporter Hayden Mitman can be reached at 215-354-3124 or hmitman@phillynews.com