The masked migrant arrested for stealing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's Gucci bag, which contained $3,000 in cash, her passport, and other personal belongings, is a Chilean national who had previously been caught in a similar scam in London, according to a new report.
Mario Bustamante-Leiva, 49, of Santiago, was arrested on Saturday night after he allegedly stole the luxury shoulder bag while Noem, 53, was on an Easter outing with her family at The Capital Burger in downtown Washington, DC, the New York Post reported, citing law enforcement sources. The bag also contained Noem's makeup kit, driver's license, medicines, apartment keys, a DHS access badge, and several blank checks.
Reputed Thief and Illegal Immigrant
Bustamante-Leiva, who is staying in the United States illegally, is suspected of being a member of a major robbery ring operating along the East Coast, the outlet reported. Police are also looking for another illegal immigrant who acted as his accomplice.
"Thank you to @SecretService @ICEgov and our law enforcement partners for finding and arresting the criminal who stole my bag on Easter Sunday as I shared a meal with my family at a Washington DC restaurant," Noem wrote on X.
"This individual is a career criminal who has been in our country illegally for years," she added. "Unfortunately, so many families in this country have been made victims by crime, and that's why President Trump is working every single day to make America safe and get these criminal aliens off of our streets."
According to reports, a man sitting alone at a nearby table managed to steal Noem's purse when no one was paying attention.
A source told CNN that surveillance video captured the suspect sitting at an empty table right next to Noem before stealing her bag. The man then used his left foot to pull the bag toward himself, moving it out of Noem's reach.
The suspect then glanced around the restaurant, grabbed the bag, hid it under his jacket, and quickly fled. Noem didn't realize what had happened until she got up from her table and noticed her purse was missing.
Arrested at Last
Speaking to Vince Coglianese on his podcast, The Vince Show, earlier this week, Noem said, "He hooked it with his foot and dragged it a few steps away and dropped a coat over it and took it. I think I was a busy grandma with four grandkids under the age of 4, and I was taking care of them and feeding them food and enjoying my family, yeah, but certainly had my purse even touching my feet."
The brazen theft stands out, especially given that Noem is constantly watched by a Secret Service team. Ronald Layton, a 26-year Secret Service veteran, told The New York Times, "It's embarrassing as hell."
Layton also said that he wasn't completely shocked by the incident, explaining that it's not unusual for those being protected to occasionally seek more privacy while spending time with family.
In the same interview, Noem said that her purse has not been returned to her, meaning her passport, DHS security badge, and other items are still missing. She also revealed that she believes the thief is a professional.
"It was professionally done. It tells me that this happens all the time to people and that they live in communities where this is a danger," she said.
