A suspect has been apprehended in Washington, D.C., following the theft of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s Gucci handbag on Easter Sunday. The arrest occurred Saturday, according to multiple news outlets.
The Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service collaborated in the capture. Law enforcement is currently seeking a second individual believed to be involved in the incident. Both suspects are reportedly in the United States without proper authorization, leading to involvement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Ed Martin, stated that there is no indication Secretary Noem was specifically targeted due to her position within DHS. The suspect in custody is expected to appear in court early this week.
The theft took place at The Capital Burger restaurant while Secretary Noem dined with her family. The stolen handbag contained approximately $3,000 in cash, alongside personal items including a driver’s license, passport, medication, makeup, blank checks, a DHS badge, apartment keys and a Louis Vuitton Clemence wallet.
Security camera footage depicts a white male wearing a surgical mask, dark pants, and a baseball cap taking the bag. The individual is seen surveying the restaurant before swiftly grabbing the handbag, concealing it under a jacket, and fleeing the scene. Sources who reviewed the video described the theft as highly skilled.
Secretary Noem recounted the incident to podcaster Vince Coglianese on the “VINCE Show,” stating, “It was kind of shocking… It was sitting right by my feet. I actually felt my purse, he hooked it with his foot and drug it a few steps away and dropped a coat over it and took it.”
She further commented, “I felt it, but I thought it was my grandkids kicking me in the legs… It was very professionally done, and it tells that this happens all the time to people and that they live in communities where this is a danger…”
The Secret Service has declined to confirm details of the arrest, citing safety concerns. Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi stated on X: “For the safety of our agents and officers, we are not in a position to confirm or comment at this time. Should criminal charges be filed, the Department of Homeland Security will provide public information in accordance with established procedures.”
Notably, just days prior to Secretary Noem’s incident, another woman dining nearby experienced a similar purse theft while enjoying a meal with her family.
