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.
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WATCH HEREShe 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.
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SIGN UP 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 N95 mask, stayed in the restaurant for a few minutes and then left with his purse under his jacket.
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It’s unclear whether the alleged thief knew Noem is a Cabinet secretary.
Two plainclothes members of Noem’s security detail were at the restaurant’s bar between Noem’s table and the front door, NBC News reports.
Noem told investigators the purse contained $2,000 to $3,000 in cash, her DHS identification card and access card, credit cards, blank checks, her passport, her driver’s license, keys and a makeup bag.
At the White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday morning, Noem told NBC News she couldn’t comment as the matter was not resolved.
"We can confirm this was stolen. Her entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren — she was using the cash withdrawal to treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts,” DHS said in a statement.
The investigation is being handled by the Secret Service, sources said. D.C. police were not initially called or made aware of the incident, which they acknowledge is unusual.
News4 reached out to the Secret Service. They didn’t say anything about the incident or possible security lapse and referred us to Homeland Security.
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