Furthermore, reports indicate that the male suspect, who has not been officially identified by U.S. Attorney Ed Martin, is residing in the country unlawfully, as reported by the New York Post, which also noted that a second migrant suspect remains at large.
The individuals in question absconded with Noem’s expensive Gucci handbag, which held $3,000 in cash along with various personal belongings, according to The Post.
On April 20, Noem, aged 53, was enjoying an Easter outing with her family at The Capital Burger in Washington, D.C., when a masked assailant snatched her luxury shoulder bag, which held her driver’s license, passport, DHS badge, and apartment keys.
According to sources, the DC Metro Police and the Secret Service apprehended the suspect.
The individual, suspected of being affiliated with a significant robbery group operating on the East Coast, is anticipated to make a court appearance early next week while law enforcement continues to search for his accomplice. Authorities are also pursuing a second suspect, who is allegedly an undocumented immigrant.
Martin informed a news organization that there is no evidence suggesting that Noem was specifically targeted due to her identity.
Martin informed NBC News that there is no evidence suggesting it was due to that.
It was, quite frankly, an aesthetically pleasing handbag. This was not the work of an amateur; rather, it was executed by an individual, a thief, who possessed a clear understanding of the task at hand. One could observe how he had surveyed the area beforehand,” Martin remarked.
The handbag, priced at $4,400 as stated on the brand’s website, was found on the ground next to the table of the former governor of South Dakota when it was reported stolen, according to a police report. Inside the bag was a Louis Vuitton Clemence pouch, worth $600.
Surveillance video captures a Caucasian male donning an N95 mask, dark trousers, a fur-collared coat, and a baseball cap, as he takes the bag belonging to a DHS official before exiting the restaurant located approximately one mile from the White House.
Although the DC U.S. Attorney’s Office has not yet disclosed the identity of the individual in custody, Blaze Media correspondent Julio Rojas reported on X that a law enforcement source in the capital informed him that the suspected thief is Mario Bustamante Leiva, a Chilean national who was previously apprehended for comparable criminal offenses in London in 2015.
BREAKING: A law enforcement official in Washington D.C. has verified that the individual charged with the theft of DHS Secretary Noem’s purse is Mario Bustamante Leiva. U.S. Attorney for D.C., Ed Martin, has stated that this individual is in the United States unlawfully.
According to a 2015 article from the Daily Mail, Bustamante Leiva is identified as Chilean.
Conservative Brief was unable to verify whether the individual currently in custody is Bustamante Leiva.
According to sources who reviewed the surveillance footage, the suspect was observed surveying the restaurant prior to seizing Noem’s bag, concealing it with his jacket, and swiftly exiting the establishment.
It was quite surprising, as it was located directly beside my feet. I distinctly felt my purse when he used his foot to pull it a few steps away, covered it with a coat, and then took it,” stated Noem, who is responsible for the Secret Service, US Customs and Border Protection, and the Coast Guard, during her conversation with podcaster Vince Coglianese.
Initially, I believed my grandchildren were playfully kicking my legs; however, it was executed with remarkable professionalism,” she remarked. “This indicates to me that such incidents frequently occur to others, highlighting the risks present in their communities, and it reinforces my purpose for being here.
The Secret Service provides protection for the secretary, akin to that of the president and other senior officials. It remains uncertain if the security detail was inside the restaurant at the time of the robbery.
Martin guaranteed that the purported thieves will be permanently barred from entering the country, given the involvement of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the matter.
