Alarmingly easy way thief stole Kristi Noem's bag from under her nose

The man who allegedly
stole the handbag of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem
used an
alarmingly simple method
to grab the Gucci purse, which was loaded with cash, according to security footage reviewed by Secret Service investigators.
Noem had been dining at The Capital Burger restaurant in Washington D.C. on Sunday when her bag was stolen. It
contained around $3,000 in cash and her DHS access badge
as well as her driver's license, apartment keys, passport, medication, blank checks, makeup and a Louis Vuitton Clemence wallet.
Footage of the incident showed the suspect had been sitting at a table next to Noem's before moving purposefully closer to her as he targeted the Gucci bag placed near her feet, a law enforcement
source told CNN
.
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The incident comes after Noem was accused of 'flaunting her wealth' during a visit to El Salvador's mega prison
(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The thief, who was dressed in dark clothing, had seated himself at an empty table next to Noem with his back facing away from her.
He then used his left foot to slide the bag away from her, the source said. The thief was captured surveying the restaurant before discreetly picking up the bag, hiding it under his jacket, and leaving.
Noem was completely unaware of the thief and only noticed her bag was missing once she got up from the table, according to the source. It remains unclear whether the thief knew how Noem was or if she was a random target.
The Secret Service is leading the investigation and is working to trace any use of her cards. Noem had been dining with her family at the time and Secret Service agents were in the restaurant with her, according to the source.
They did not say how many agents were there or where they had been placed inside the restaurant. Explaining why Noem was carrying such a large sum of cash, a DHS spokesperson said: 'Her entire family was in town including her children and grandchildren – she was using the withdrawal to treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts.'
Noem didn't notice the bag had been stolen until she got up from the table
(Image: Getty Images)
The incident comes just weeks after Noem was
criticised for flashing a $50,000 Rolex during a visit to the El Salvador Mega prison
the Trump administration has deported hundreds of alleged gang members to. The Homeland Security Secretary could be seen standing in front of a cramped prison cell as inmates watched her make a threat to immigrants.
"If you come to our country illegally, this is one of the consequences you could face,' she said in a video posted on social media. In the clip, Noem could also be seen sporting the luxury watch, identified as an 18-karat gold Rolex Cosmograph Daytona.
She was accused of "flaunting her wealth" during the visit. Jonathan Wackrow, a former Secret Service agent, warns that Noem could still be "at higher risk for targeted threats, both by foreign and domestic actors," explaining that her public profile alone "makes her a symbolic target."
He said the theft of her bag could signal a security problem. 'This is a security breach that actually has high consequences, and it needs immediate and further review by the Secret Service and DHS and other law enforcement partners,' he told CNN.

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