Feb. 18—EAST LYME — Police said they recovered two vehicles stolen from Meriden and arrested a 17-year-old male following a brief chase Saturday that ended with a crash.

The youth, from Hartford, was charged with first-degree larceny of a motor vehicle, driving without a license, disobeying the signal from an officer and turning or stopping without using a signal.

He was not identified due to his age and is due in Hartford Juvenile Court on Feb. 23.

Police said an officer was responding to a call at 3:45 a.m. Saturday when he spotted two cars pulled over to the side of Boston Post Road. When the officer slowed down to see if they needed assistance, the two cars took off.

Police said while the officer continued to the original call, a back-up officer saw the two cars speeding. The officer attempted to pull over the two cars, but they sped up. One attempted to turn onto Dean Road, but crashed into a tree.

Police said the driver was taken Lawrence + Memorial Hospital in New London for examination. The 2023 Hyundai Elantra he was driving sustained heavy damage.

Police said they found the second vehicle, which had also been reported stolen, a short time later in a neighboring community.