WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A suspect has been arrested in connection with the theft of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s purse at a Washington restaurant, the Secret Service said on Sunday, and Noem said the individual has been living in the United States illegally.
The Secret Service did not identify the suspect by name but said the individual was a serial offender who was not a threat to Noem, the former South Dakota governor who was appointed to her post by President Donald Trump.
The Washington Metropolitan Police Department said a 49-year-old man named Mario Bustamante Leiva was arrested on Saturday night and charged with two counts of robbery involving two separate incidents on April 12 and April 17. The purse snatching involving Noem was on April 20, Easter Sunday.
Washington police said the man faces "additional charges for an offense being investigated by the United States Secret Service," an apparent reference to the theft involving Noem.
"This individual is a career criminal who has been in our country illegally for years," Noem said in a statement that also credited the Washington police and the Secret Service for their work on the arrest.
A U.S. Department of Homeland Security representative confirmed that Leiva was the suspect in the Noem incident but did not respond to questions about his immigration status.
Noem, the top official charged with protecting the United States from terrorism and other types of threats, has been a proponent of the Republican president’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Shortly after she was confirmed to her post in January, Noem joined officers in an immigration enforcement operation in New York City.
The statements issued by federal and local authorities did not provide details about how the theft occurred despite a security detail provided to Noem.
The Secret Service said it would assume jurisdiction over the case, citing alleged criminal activity including potential device and credit card fraud.
Noem’s purse contained her Department of Homeland Security badge and $3,000 in cash, according to media reports.