A New London man faces multiple charges after he allegedly drove away from police officers in a stolen car and led them on a chase that began in the Waterford Stop & Shop parking lot and ended on Beckwith Street in New London.

Police charged William Llorens, 56, of 27 Catherine St. with reckless driving and engaging an officer in pursuit, among other crimes.

Police said Llorens drove away from the Stop & Shop parking lot after officers attempted to apprehend him and a female passenger who police say shoplifted from the grocery store.

A Stop & Shop employee told police he was chasing a shoplifter through the parking lot about 3 p.m. Saturday.

When an officer arrived, he said he saw the woman, Shanna Sarpu of 49 Willetts Ave., New London, in the passenger seat of a car.

As the officer was arresting Sarpu, Llorens began to drive the car away.

The officer approached the driver’s side window to take hold of Llorens, who continued to drive and the officer said he had to step away to avoid being hit by the car.

The officer said he saw the license plate of the car, a 2005 Cadillac CTS, and discovered that it had been reported stolen from Groton on Friday.

Another Waterford officer followed Llorens, who drove on Boston Post Road toward New London and didn’t stop until police used a tire deflation tool known as a “stop stick” to disable the car on Colman Street, according to Waterford Police Sgt. Andrew Farrior.

The device flattened two of the car’s tires, and the car stopped on Beckwith Street, several blocks away.

Police arrested Llorens and charged him with reckless driving, engaging an officer in pursuit and third-degree larceny.

He also was charged with possession of narcotics after police said they found a small amount of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny and interfering with an officer. He is being held on a $50,000 bond.

Sarpu, 30, was charged with conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny and is being held on a $2,500 bond.

m.shanahan@theday.com