A suspect has been arrested in the theft of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s Gucci handbag, stolen during an Easter Sunday dinner at The Capital Burger in Washington, D.C.
The handbag contained $3,000 in cash, Noem’s passport, her driver’s license, a DHS access badge, apartment keys, and a $600 Louis Vuitton wallet. Surveillance footage captured a masked individual slipping the bag out from under Noem’s chair before quickly exiting the restaurant.
Authorities believe the suspect is linked to an East Coast robbery crew. The arrest was made through a joint effort by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service. A second suspect involved in the theft remains at large.
Officials indicated there is no evidence that Noem was targeted specifically because of her role. Investigators described the theft as a highly professional operation, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement has now joined the investigation.