BRISTOL — A registered sex offender was arrested Thursday afternoon after police say he tried to lure two girls into his car in the Bristol Elementary School parking lot.

Police said Christopher Geary, 43, of Lakeshore Road, Gilford, circled the parking lot where the two girls were standing several times just before 4 p.m.

“He did a combination of circling them and talking to them about getting in the car,” said Bristol Police Sgt. Timothy Woodward.

Geary was arrested on two Class A felony charges of attempted kidnapping, two Class A misdemeanor charges of stalking, and a disorderly conduct violation, police said.

Witnesses to the incident told Woodward and Officer John Guarneri that the suspect was a white male in his 40s or early 50s driving a blue Jeep Cherokee. One witness said his license plate included the number 303 on it, Woodward said.

A check with the state Department of Safety for vehicles matching the description of the car with a partial plate number of 303 found only one close match, a vehicle registered to Geary, Woodward said.

Bristol police contacted Gilford police and found that Geary is a registered sex offender and has been convicted for attempted felonious sexual assault, numerous counts of indecent exposure and lewdness, escape, and a recent violation of terms and conditions of probation or parole, he said.

Police created a photo line-up “and Geary was positively identified as the suspect by the primary witness.”

Geary will be arraigned in Plymouth District Court on July 30.

dseufert@newstote.com