ESCONDIDO, Calif. (KGTV) - Escondido Police announced Tuesday an arrest in connection to reports of a suspicious man trying to lure women and girls into his car.
Spicer Van Allen Conant, 46, was arrested in connection with a string of attempted kidnappings that have been reported in Escondido.
Escondido Police said Conant is being charged with multiple counts attempted kidnapping and a felony possession of an assault rifle, though police said additional charges may be coming.
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Police said Conant was followed by officers Tuesday as he left his home in San Marcos and drove to Escondido. Police said over the course about 90 minutes, Conant was observed trying to get five females to enter his car, four of which were under the age of 18-years-old.
The last person he came into contact with - an 18-year-old - entered his vehicle. Police said they immediately became concerned for the female and made an enforcement stop in the area of 13th Avenue and Escondido Boulevard.
Police arrested Conant without incident.
Upon searching his vehicle, police said they located an illegal assault rifle in the trunk of his Mazda Miata, along with a thousand rounds of ammunition.
Lt. Justin Murphy said police plan to serve a search warrant for Conant's home on Wednesday morning.
According to police, on March 15, 2017, an 11-year-old girl was approached by a man in a red car near Mission Middle School. The girl, however, did not reply to the man and he drove off.
Then on March 20, police said a 27-year-old woman was approached by an older man in a red Mazda Miata in the parking lot of a Del Taco on El Norte Parkway at Broadway. He asked her for directions and after she gave them to him, he became adamant that she get into the car.
After the woman pulled out her phone to take a picture of the man, he sped off.
Escondido Police believe the series of events are connected to a case from 2016 as well.
Police said on May 9, 2016, two girls were in contact with a man who offered them a ride. He was successful in getting one of the females to get into his vehicle. However, after she became nervous and asked to text somebody, the man pulled over and let the female out of the vehicle.
Police identified Conant after conducting interviews with the girls and a witness. At the time, Conant was interviewed by police but was not arrested or charged with a crime.
Watch the livestream of Escondido Police's news conference here:
News conference continued:
