So, like, this guy, Mario Bustamante Leiva, got caught stealing a fancy handbag from the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Washington, D.C. But get this, he was also arrested for pulling the same stunt in New York City earlier this year. Law enforcement sources spilled the beans on this juicy info.
Apparently, Bustamante Leiva was nabbed in NYC on March 2 after some dude reported to the NYPD that his bag, with his wallet inside, got swiped from under the table while he was chowing down at a restaurant in Times Square. The poor victim was just trying to have dinner with a friend, but he accidentally left his Gucci bag behind. When he realized his mistake and rushed back, it was too late. Some “older man” had already snatched it.
As the victim was watching surveillance footage of the theft, other patrons spotted the alleged thief loitering near a subway station at West 42 Street and Sixth Avenue. They gave the victim a heads up, who then called the cops and got the guy arrested. In less than 30 minutes, the thief managed to rack up $1,200 on two of the victim’s credit cards. Talk about quick spending skills, huh?
Since the theft went down, the victim has only received one measly phone call about his stolen stuff. He’s clueless about the case status or the suspect’s whereabouts. It wasn’t until Monday that he found out the same guy was also involved in Noem’s purse pilfering.
Bustamante Leiva, a 49-year-old Chilean national living in the U.S. illegally, was hit with charges for grand larceny and got a desk appearance ticket, but he ghosted his first court appearance in Manhattan. Classic move, am I right?
On Sunday, law enforcement nabbed a second suspect in South Florida linked to the theft of Noem’s purse. According to U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin, this new suspect is also an undocumented immigrant. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is now in on the action.
But get this, according to Ed Martin, Bustamante Leiva didn’t target Noem because of her high-profile job as the Department of Homeland Security chief. So, what was his motive then? We may never know.
Noem’s purse was loaded with $3,000 cash, her DHS access badge, passport, credit cards, blank checks, keys, and driver’s license. The thief struck when he waltzed into Capital Burger in D.C., passed by two undercover Secret Service officers, and smoothly swiped the purse from Noem’s table as she dined with her fam. What a nerve!
Shoutout to Ted Oberg of NBC Washington, and Rebecca Cohen and Laura Strickler of NBC News for bringing us this wild story. Keep those updates coming, folks!
So, that’s the scoop on this crazy handbag heist saga. Stay tuned for more twists and turns in this real-life crime drama.
