A 64-year-old Cherokee, Iowa man accused of trying to abduct a 12-year-old girl in Irwin last week is free after posting bond over the weekend. The incident has an entire community on edge.

A quiet walk across town with her granddaughter Laney is one of those small town pleasures Pat Gawley enjoys, but she says last week's child enticement has unnerved everyone.

"A lot of people are talking about it. It's just that we feel safe here. Everybody knows your neighbors and it's just not something that happens very often. It's scary."

Last Thursday after school, a 12-year-old girl had just been dropped off by the bus and was on her way home when a strange man approached, offering her several items as well as a ride home, but she did the right thing and ran home and told her mother who immediately called the Shelby County Sheriff's Department.

"We put out information media-wise locally and tips started being called in to this office,” said Sheriff Mark Hervey.

Those tips helped lead investigators to 64-year-old Marc Nelson of Cherokee, Iowa, who was arrested at his home nearly 90 miles from Irwin. "Our community and county as a whole was on full alert this weekend and somewhat pleased that we had taken someone into custody," said Sheriff Hervey.

Nelson faces a charge of attempted enticement and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. He posted $4,000 bond on Saturday and was released.

The incident has been a reminder for adults as well as children to be careful around strangers. "I think parents and grandparents are talking to the kids about what to do if someone stops that they don't know,” said Gawley.

Nelson is also a suspect in a similar incident in Manilla, Iowa where the police department says after Nelson left Irwin he went to Manilla, about eight miles away. That's where Nelson allegedly approached a 17-year-old girl and offered her comic books and something else he said he had in his van. The girl refused and walked away. Charges are pending in that case.