Groton — Town police arrested two New London teens and are searching for two other suspects after they led police Tuesday night on a pursuit on stolen mopeds.

Around 11:49 p.m., police observed two mopeds, each with a driver and a passenger, "operating erratically" in the area of Route 12 and Walker Hill Road.

When police attempted to stop the drivers, they fled. One of the mopeds crashed, injuring the driver, and the passenger fled into the woods. 

He was later found and taken into custody by town Officer Joel Lenda, who with his K-9 partner Argos, tracked the passenger, an unidentified 16-year-old male, through the woods.

Police have not announced any charges against him.

The driver, an unidentified 16-year-old male, was taken into police custody, and transported to Lawrence + Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. He is charged with third-degree larceny, interfering with an officer, engaging an officer in pursuit and reckless driving.

Police determined that the moped had been stolen from Waterford. They also discovered that the driver was on juvenile parole, and subsequently was turned over to his parole officer.

A short time later, someone reported seeing the second moped traveling in the direction of the pedestrian walkway on the Gold Star Bridge. The driver of the moped fled onto Williams Street and behind an unspecified business, where the two occupants jumped off the bike and fled. 

The second moped was also determined to be stolen.

State police and officers from New London and Groton assisted in the search. Police are still searching for the two suspects.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Groton Town Police at (860) 441-6712.

j.bergman@theday.com