Kristi Noem, the new Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was the victim of a theft while having dinner at a popular downtown Washington, D.C. restaurant. The crash happened late Sunday night. While chaos ensued during the incident, a purse-snatcher stole her purse. This theft has alarmed security professionals and even provoked a criminal investigation by the U.S. Secret Service.
Noem conveniently ignored this theft as she was munching away. The victim told police an unknown white male, with a medical mask on, had grabbed her bag and ran off. The Secret Service is reportedly reviewing security camera video from the restaurant. Their goal is to learn more about the thief and what’s going on around the theft.
Inside the stolen bag were some very personal things to Noem. The contents were her passport, driver’s license, keys, and a large wad of cash—about 3 grand. Noem had apparently withdrawn this cash to buy her family dinner and Easter gifts and activities. Additionally, the bag contained makeup and medication.
During the White House Easter Egg Roll after the incident, Noem touted the theft. She put great emphasis on how that impacted her family’s itinerary. She still hasn’t spoken personally to the Secret Service about the specifics of the incident.
Though the investigation is still ongoing, the Secret Service’s top priority at the moment is finding the suspect visible in their security video. I hope that they are, because they have done amazing work in blurring their own lines to create a composite of possibilities that would resolve this case.