The man suspected to have stolen Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s high-value Gucci bag from a restaurant in Washington, D.C., has been arrested.
The suspect is believed to be in the country illegally, Ed Martin, the interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, said in an interview with NBC News.
It is not believed that the suspect targeted Noem because of her role in the federal government. The theft is part of multiple purse robberies believed to be a theft ring recently targeting Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter.
“This was not an amateur. This was a person, a thief, that knew how to do this. You could see how he scouted the room out,” Martin told the outlet. Authorities are looking for a second suspect who is also believed to be in the country illegally.
The investigation is being handled by the Metropolitan Police and the U.S. Secret Service. Martin said Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now involved due to the man’s believed illegal status.
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Noem was dining at the chain restaurant The Capital Burger last week when her purse containing $3,000 in cash, her passport, DHS access badge, Louis Vuitton wallet, apartment keys, and checkbook, was stolen.
According to CNN, security footage of the theft showed the suspect moving close to Noem as he locked in on her Gucci bag near her feet. The man was dressed in dark clothing and sat down at an empty table next to Noem with his back facing her after surveying the restaurant. He then used his foot to slide the bag away.