2 Men Held in Peace Pipe Theft

Two men who broke the window of an Ojai store and took a handmade American Indian peace pipe were arrested early Monday on suspicion of burglary, authorities said.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Kelly Roemelen, 19, and Stephen Johnson, 18, at 12:24 a.m. after Deputy Dave Wasserman observed the pair running from the Indian Shop at 318 E. Ojai Ave., deputies said. Wasserman had earlier seen the men walking around the city’s Arcade business district with bolt cutters, deputies said.

Roemelen and Johnson fled toward Montgomery Street, where they were stopped at gunpoint and arrested by Deputy John Fox, according to the deputies’ report. Deputies said Fox recovered a Sioux peace pipe from Johnson. The pipe, which had been removed from a window display at the store, is valued at $195, deputies said.

The break-in was the first at the Indian Shop in several years, said Wendy LaBraque, the store’s owner. She said she believes it was an animal skull design on the pipe that attracted the break-in.

Both Roemelen and Johnson were being held at the Ventura County Jail on $10,000 bail each.