The U.S. Secret Service filed a criminal complaint against Mario Bustamante Leiva on Monday. (Fox News)
Authorities say Bustamante Leiva is an illegally present Chilean national, and in each ruse, he approached victims as they ate in a restaurant, stole their purses from the back of their seats, and then fled the scene.
Detectives located video evidence of the thefts, which led them to identify the alleged suspect as Bustamante Leiva. He was arrested on Saturday and initially charged with two counts of robbery, though additional charges were pending for an additional offense being investigated by the Secret Service, officials said.
DHS CHIEF KRISTI NOEM REVEALS HOW HER PURSE WAS STOLEN AT RESTAURANT: 'PROFESSIONALLY DONE'
The U.S. Secret Service filed a criminal complaint against Mario Bustamante Leiva on Monday. (Fox News)
Noem was with her family on Easter Sunday at The Capital Burger in Washington, D.C., when the suspect nabbed her luxury bag containing the cash as well as her driver’s license, passport, medication, makeup bag, blank checks, DHS badge, apartment keys and a Louis Vuitton Clemence wallet.
KIMMEL MOCKS DHS SEC KRISTI NOEM FOR GETTING ROBBED, SAYS HER BEING CRIME VICTIM IS 'EMBARRASSING'
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The bag was on the floor at her table when it was stolen, according to a complaint filed with local police.
Security footage captured a White man in a N95 surgical mask, dark pants and a baseball cap grabbing the bag before leaving the restaurant.
Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price, Landon Mion and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-charges-filed-illegal-immigrant-allegedly-stole-kristi-noems-purse