WATERVILLE — A police sergeant was bitten in both legs by a pit bull terrier, and four drunken and disorderly men were arrested late Monday after police responded to a report of a theft on Summer Street, according to police Deputy Chief Charles Rumsey.

Rumsey said a resident of an apartment building at 21 Summer St. in the city’s South End called at 9:52 p.m. to report a sign that says “Security Cameras in Use” in front of the building had been stolen by a person in another apartment.

Officers arrived to find a large group of drunken, disorderly, uncooperative people and eventually arrested a man whose image was captured on the security camera, Rumsey said. The man, Allen Jenness-Libby, 24, of 11 Summer St., No. 2, was charged with class C theft, as he has a prior theft conviction, Rumsey said.

“In the middle of it all, Sgt. Brian Gardiner was bitten by a pit bull,” he said. “He is OK. He went to the Thayer Center for Health emergency room to receive treatment for two minor wounds to the back of each leg. There were small puncture wounds on his legs from the dog’s teeth. He was able to fight the dog off, and the dog eventually retreated to a room in the back of the apartment.”

Officers secured the apartment. While they were waiting for a search warrant, two men, Nathan Smith, 22, and Adam Dyer, 27, both of 21 Summer St., Apartment B, kept leaving and re-entering the apartment and being disorderly and verbally abusive to the officers, Rumsey said.

Police found the sign hidden under trash in the apartment, and Dyer and Smith were arrested and charged with theft by receiving stolen property, the sign. Smith was charged with disorderly conduct.

A third man, Robert Carson, 19, of 135 College Ave., Apartment 2, arrived. He was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct and on an outstanding warrant for unpaid fines from Waterville District Court. Before being arrested, he tried to flee into the residence, Rumsey said.

The officers ran after him, and while they were arresting him, the pit bull bit Gardiner.

Another person at the apartment, Nicholas Ruest, 20, of 12 Moor St., was summoned and charged with being a minor consuming alcohol, according to Rumsey.

Dyer, Smith and Carson were taken to the Kennebec County jail in Augusta and are scheduled to appear Jan. 6 in Waterville District Court. Jenness-Libby is scheduled to appear Jan. 13 in Kennebec County Superior Court on the felony charge, Rumsey said.

Meanwhile, Animal Control Officer Chris Martinez on Tuesday morning went to 21 Summer St., Apartment B, and seized the pit bull terrier, which is owned by Dyer, and took it to the Humane Society Waterville Area, where it will be quarantined 10 days, Rumsey said. Martinez summoned Dyer for not having a dog license and for not having the dog’s rabies vaccine updated, he said. If Dyer is found guilty, he faces fines for those civil violations, according to Rumsey.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17