A dramatic turn of events unfolded in Miami as authorities apprehended a second suspect connected to the Easter Sunday theft of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's personal belongings.
According to Fox News, law enforcement officials arrested an accomplice in Miami on Sunday, marking the second detention related to the theft of Noem's purse containing $3,000 in cash and her DHS access card from a Washington D.C. restaurant.
The Secret Service collaborated with the Miami Beach Police Department to locate and arrest the suspect, who is currently being held on an immigration detainer while charges are finalized. Officials have not disclosed the identity of the second suspect but confirmed their belief that the individual acted as a co-conspirator in multiple theft incidents alongside the primary defendant.
The first suspect, identified as Mario Bustamante Leiva, a 49-year-old Chilean national illegally present in the United States, was arrested on Saturday. Authorities linked him to a series of similar thefts throughout April, where he allegedly targeted restaurant patrons by stealing purses from the backs of their chairs.
Law enforcement officials recovered video evidence showing the suspects' modus operandi, leading to Leiva's identification and subsequent arrest. He now faces two counts of robbery and additional charges related to the Secret Service investigation.
Retired NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor Paul Mauro provided insight into the nature of the crime, suggesting that the perpetrators were motivated by the opportunity to steal luxury items rather than targeting Noem specifically. The Secret Service has officially confirmed that the theft was not related to Noem's position as DHS Secretary.
Noem shared her account of the incident with podcaster Vince Coglianese on the "VINCE Show," describing how the theft occurred while she dined with her family at The Capital Burger in Washington, D.C.
The DHS Secretary said:
It was kind of shocking, actually, because 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. I felt it, but I thought it was my grandkids kicking me in the legs. But 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 and it reaffirms why I am here.
The stolen items included Noem's driver's license, passport, medication, makeup bag, blank checks, DHS badge, apartment keys, and a Louis Vuitton Clemence wallet. Security footage captured a white male wearing an N95 surgical mask, dark pants, and a baseball cap executing the theft.
Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros praised the cooperation between agencies that led to the second arrest. The Miami Beach Police Department's quick response to information from Washington resulted in targeted patrols that successfully located the suspect without incident.
Noem expressed gratitude through her spokesperson, acknowledging the efforts of the Secret Service, ICE, and other law enforcement partners in apprehending the suspects. She emphasized that the first arrested suspect had an extensive criminal history and had been in the country illegally for years.
The theft of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's purse during Easter Sunday lunch with her family has resulted in two arrests within a week. The incident, which occurred at The Capital Burger in Washington D.C., involved the theft of personal items, including $3,000 in cash and official DHS credentials.
While the first suspect, Mario Bustamante Leiva, faces multiple robbery charges, authorities are finalizing charges against the second suspect, who was apprehended in Miami. The Secret Service has confirmed that despite the high-profile nature of the victim, the theft was not targeted at Noem's position but rather part of a series of professional theft operations targeting restaurant patrons.
