Kristi Noem Says Undocumented 'Career Criminal' Stole Her Purse In D.C. Restaurant

Washington D.C. authorities announced they made an arrest related to the stealing of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem's purse at a restaurant on April 20. Another suspect was also arrested in Florida and is being held on an immigration detainer while charges are being finalized, the Secret Service added.

Concretely, Mario Bustamante Leiva was charged with two counts of robbery, although in connection with unrelated incidents that took place in recent weeks. One of them was near the restaurant in which Noem had her purse stolen.

Noem reacted to the development with a statement to The Washington Post, calling Bustamente Leiva a "career criminal who has been in our country illegally for years."

"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," she added. The outlet clarified that it was not able to confirm whether the man is in fact an undocumented immigrant.

The theft in question took place when Noem was having dinner at a restaurant in downtown Washington D.C. Officials told CNN that after reviewing security camera footage they saw a white male weaking a surgical mask approach her table, steal her bag and leave the restaurant. The bag had her DHS access card, blank checks, some $3,000 in cash and her passport, among other items.

The Secret Service said Noem was not targeted because of her role in the Trump administration. It described the suspect, which it did not identify as Bustamante Leiva, as a "serial offender." Formal charges could be filed on Monday, revealing the name of the person apprehended in Florida.