Law enforcement authorities have reported that the individual apprehended for allegedly stealing a Gucci handbag from the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, is an undocumented Chilean national. According to information provided to The New York Post, Mario Bustamante-Leiva, a 49-year-old from Santiago, Chile, was arrested on Saturday. He is accused of taking the luxury bag containing $3,000 in cash while Noem was dining with her family at The Capital Burger in Washington, DC, last Sunday.
Bustamante-Leiva, who is in the United States illegally, is believed to be part of a larger East Coast theft ring. Authorities are currently searching for another undocumented immigrant suspected of being his accomplice. The U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security took to social media platform X to label the Chilean as a "criminal" and criticized undocumented individuals in the U.S.
"This individual is a career criminal who has been in our country illegally for years," the official stated. She further defended the Trump administration’s stringent immigration measures against undocumented individuals, whom she consistently labels as criminals. "Unfortunately, so many families in this country have fallen victim to crime, which is why President Trump is working every day to make the United States safe and remove these foreign criminals from our streets."
Prosecutor Ed Martin suggested that Noem was likely not targeted due to her high-profile status but rather because the suspects were drawn to the expensive Gucci handbag, which also contained her driver's license, passport, DHS badge, and apartment keys. "Frankly, it was a very nice bag. This was not an amateur. It was someone, a thief, who knew what they were doing. You could see how he surveyed the room," Martin told NBC News.
Bustamante-Leiva was previously arrested in 2015 for a series of thefts in London, where he reportedly stole phones, wallets, and laptops worth nearly $28,000, as reported by the Daily Mail. Since assuming her position, Noem has been a staunch advocate for hardline immigration policies, in alignment with President Trump’s rhetoric and priorities. She has been particularly critical of the humanitarian parole program established under the Biden administration, accusing it of "encouraging immigration chaos" and jeopardizing national security.
Frequently Asked Questions on Immigration and Crime
Who is Mario Bustamante-Leiva?
Mario Bustamante-Leiva is a 49-year-old Chilean national who was arrested for allegedly stealing a Gucci handbag from U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. He is suspected of being part of an East Coast theft ring.
What was inside Kristi Noem's stolen handbag?
The stolen Gucci handbag contained $3,000 in cash, Kristi Noem's driver's license, passport, DHS badge, and apartment keys.
How has Kristi Noem responded to the incident?
Kristi Noem has labeled the suspect a "career criminal" and defended the Trump administration’s strict immigration policies, emphasizing the need to remove foreign criminals from American streets.