The individual charged with stealing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s Gucci handbag, which held $3,000 in cash and other personal items, was apprehended on Saturday in Washington, D.C., according to reports.
The suspect was caught by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service, as reported by the New York Post. Authorities are still on the lookout for a second suspect related to the case.
Both suspects are believed to be in the U.S. unlawfully, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now involved in the matter, as stated by Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin, during an NBC 4 interview. Martin noted there is no evidence suggesting that Noem was deliberately targeted due to her position at DHS.
The detained suspect is expected to appear in court early this week, according to the New York Post.
DHS SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM’S HANDBAG STOLEN ALONG WITH THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN A D.C. RESTAURANT: SOURCES
The individual arrested for stealing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s handbag, which contained $3,000 in cash, was taken into custody on Saturday in Washington, D.C. (Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images | Fox News Digital)
The Secret Service has refrained from confirming reports of the suspect’s arrest on Saturday.
“To ensure our agents’ and officers’ safety, we are unable to confirm or comment at this moment,” stated Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi on X. “If criminal charges are brought, the Department of Homeland Security will release information in line with established procedures.”
Fox News Digital has contacted DHS, which referred back to Guglielmi’s earlier statement.
Noem was dining with her family on Easter Sunday at The Capital Burger in Washington, D.C., when her luxury bag—containing cash, her driver’s license, passport, medication, makeup, blank checks, her DHS badge, apartment keys, and a Louis Vuitton wallet—was stolen.
DHS SECRETARY KRISTI NOEM DESCRIBES HOW HER PURSE WAS TAKEN AT RESTAURANT: ‘PROFESSIONALLY DONE’
Authorities continue to search for a second suspect. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The handbag was placed on the floor next to her table when it was taken, based on a police report.
Security footage revealed a white man, wearing an N95 surgical mask, dark trousers, and a baseball cap, grabbing the bag before exiting the restaurant.
Witnesses shared with the New York Post that the suspect scanned the restaurant before seizing the bag, concealing it with his jacket, and fleeing the scene.
“It was quite surprising, honestly, because it was right near my feet. I felt my purse being hooked by his foot and dragged a few steps away before he covered it with a coat and took off,” Noem recounted on the “VINCE Show” podcast with Vince Coglianese.
Noem was with her family on Easter Sunday at The Capital Burger in Washington, D.C., when her luxury bag was taken. (Ken Cedeno/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“I sensed it, but assumed it was my grandkids kicking me. It was very expertly executed, indicating that such incidents occur frequently and demonstrate the dangers people face in their communities. It strengthens my commitment to ensuring safety for everyone,” she added. “I strive to do everything possible every day to enhance safety in our communities, and President Trump acknowledges that families should not have to endure any form of violence.”
Just days prior to Noem’s handbag being stolen, another woman dining with her family at a nearby restaurant experienced a similar theft.
