Second Suspect Arrested In Connection To Dhs Secretary Noem's Purse Snatching

A 2nd apprehension has been made successful relationship to nan theft of Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem's purse while she was retired having luncheon connected Easter pinch her family.

Authorities announced that they apprehended nan accomplice believed to beryllium tied to nan bid of thefts successful D.C. successful Miami connected Sunday.

"The individual is believed to beryllium a co-conspirator successful those incidents pinch nan superior suspect who is accused of committing a robbery against Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem," a spokesperson for nan Secret Service shared successful a statement.

"Public information is strongest erstwhile built connected spot and collaboration," Special Agent successful Charge Rafael Barros said. "We are grateful to nan Miami Beach Police Department for their swift and outstanding assistance successful today's apprehension. After receiving accusation from Washington, Miami Beach Police officers quickly implemented targeted patrols and located nan defendant, who was taken into custody without incident."

SUSPECT ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED THEFT OF KRISTI NOEM'S BAG CONTAINING $3K IN CASH: REPORTS

The personality of nan alleged accomplice has not been released, but officials said nan fishy is presently being held connected an migration detainer arsenic charges are finalized.

This comes hours aft authorities announced nan first apprehension of an forbidden immigrant pinch an extended criminal history who was believed to beryllium tied to theft. 

"Thank you to Secret Service and ICE and our rule enforcement partners for uncovering and arresting nan criminal who stole my container connected Easter Sunday arsenic I shared a repast pinch my family astatine a Washington DC restaurant," Noem's spokesperson shared successful a connection pinch Fox News Digital. 

Noem said, "This individual is simply a profession criminal who has been successful our state illegally for years."

The fishy was identified arsenic 49-year-old Mario Bustamante Leiva, who authorities opportunity is an illegally coming Chilean national, who was linked to a bid of thefts successful April, according to nan Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

Officials said successful each ruse, Leiva approached victims arsenic they ate successful a restaurant, stole their purses from nan backmost of their seats, and past fled nan scene.

Detectives located video grounds of nan thefts which led them to place nan alleged fishy arsenic Levia. He was arrested connected Saturday and charged pinch 2 counts of robbery and faces further charges for an discourtesy being investigated by nan United States Secret Service, officials said. 

DHS CHIEF KRISTI NOEM REVEALS HOW HER PURSE WAS STOLEN AT RESTAURANT: 'PROFESSIONALLY DONE'

Kristi Noem, caput of nan Department of Homeland Security, is seen during a gathering pinch President Donald Trump and Nayib Bukele, El Salvador's president, successful nan Oval Office of nan White House connected Monday, April 14. (Ken Cedeno/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"Unfortunately, truthful galore families successful this state person been made victims by crime, and that’s why President Trump is moving each azygous time to make America safe and get these criminal aliens disconnected of our streets," Noem said. 

Retired NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor Paul Mauro told Fox News Digital he believes that this theft was not targeted specifically astatine Noem, but alternatively motivated by nan luxury container itself.

"This was not targeted. This is beautiful overmuch nan bottommost of nan criminal nutrient chain. They, I cognize he had an accomplice, conscionable wanted to make money and get distant pinch it," Mauro explained. "Why induce nan benignant of scrutiny nan caput of DHS would invite?  We’re not talking astir KGB here." 

KIMMEL MOCKS DHS SEC KRISTI NOEM FOR GETTING ROBBED, SAYS HER BEING CRIME VICTIM IS 'EMBARRASSING'

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem watches during a conveyance scan during a circuit of nan San Ysidro Port of Entry, successful San Diego, U.S., March 16, 2025. (Alex Brandon/Pool via REUTERS)

Noem was pinch her family connected Easter Sunday astatine The Capital Burger successful Washington, D.C., erstwhile nan fishy nabbed her luxury container containing nan rate arsenic good arsenic her driver’s license, passport, medication, constitution bag, blank checks, DHS badge, flat keys and a Louis Vuitton Clemence wallet.

The container was connected nan level astatine her array erstwhile it was stolen, according to a title revenge pinch section police.

Security footage captured a achromatic man successful a N95 surgical mask, acheronian pants and a shot headdress grabbing nan bag earlier leaving nan restaurant.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

"It was benignant of shocking, actually, because it was sitting correct by my feet. I really felt my purse, he hooked it pinch his ft and supplier it a fewer steps distant and dropped a overgarment complete it and took it," Noem told podcaster Vince Coglianese connected nan "VINCE Show."

"I felt it, but I thought it was my grandkids kicking maine successful nan legs. But it was very professionally done, and it tells that this happens each nan clip to group and that they unrecorded successful communities wherever this is simply a threat and it reaffirms why I americium here," she added. 

Fox News Digital's Landon Mion and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price is simply a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, nationalist crime cases, forbidden immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas tin beryllium sent to stepheny.price@fox.com