Suspect Arrested in Theft of US Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem's Purse

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.