Alberta boy, 12, made lucky escape during youth-organized 'to catch a predator' sting, police say

A 12-year-old boy who escaped the vehicle of an alleged abductor in Alberta after he and a group of friends employed a “catch a predator” scheme was incredibly lucky, says a police child exploitation expert.

This appears to be the “very first” time minors have employed the scheme, popularized by NBC’s To Catch a Predator reality television series, said Staff Sgt. Mark Auger from the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team’s internet child exploitation unit.

“This could have been a horrible outcome,” Auger said Thursday.