Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had her purse, which had thousands of dollars in cash inside, stolen from a restaurant in downtown D.C. on Sunday night, the department confirmed.
Noem was out to dinner with her children and grandchildren on Easter when her bag with between $2,000 and $3,000 cash was allegedly taken.
She was planning to buy her family dinner and Easter gifts, which is why she had so much money on hand, her office said.
The Secret Service, which was assigned to protect her, isn’t saying how it happened or who the suspect is.
Investigators have seen surveillance footage of Noem’s family gathering at Capital Burger on 7th Street NW, sources familiar with the matter said.
Just before 8 p.m., the suspect was able to sit at the table next to Noem’s, slide her purse toward him with his foot and walk out, all while she apparently dined with her family just feet from her Secret Service detail, sources told NBC.
The suspect, who was wearing an N-95 mask, stayed in the restaurant for a few minutes and then left with her purse under his jacket.
