Suspect in Noem purse snatching accused of similar crime in NY weeks before
The illegal migrant accused of snatching Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's purse was arrested in New York City weeks earlier and released from custody, according to a New York Post report.
Chilean national Mario Bustamante Leiva, 49, was arrested in Times Square after he swiped a fanny pack from an international student from India inside a Times Square dosa shop -- and then the perp racked up $1,200 in credit card charges in just 20 minutes, the victim told the outlet
The NYPD gave Bustamante-Leiva a desk appearance ticket on fourth-degree felony grand larceny charges and released him, the NYPD told Fox News.
Dhs Chief Kristi Noem Reveals How Her Purse Was Stolen At Restaurant: 'Professionally Done'
The city's sanctuary city laws meant that the NYPD was prohibited from telling federal immigration officials that they had busted an illegal migrant.
Meanwhile, Bustamante-Leiva didn't show up for his court date and became a fugitive on March 19 with officers actively looking for him, the NYPD said.
Read On The Fox News App
That allowed Bustamante-Leiva to target Noem on Easter Sunday when she was dining with her family at The Capital Burger in Washington, D.C., although he denied knowing that the bag belonged to the Homeland Security chief, a hardline immigration enforcer.
Bustamante-Leiva is accused of nabbing Noem's luxury Gucci bag containing around $3,000 cash as well as her driver's license, passport, medication, makeup bag, blank checks, DHS badge, apartment keys and a Louis Vuitton Clemence wallet. The bag was on the floor at her table when it was stolen, according to a complaint filed with local police.
Kimmel Mocks Dhs Sec Kristi Noem For Getting Robbed, Says Her Being Crime Victim Is 'Embarrassing'
He was arrested on Saturday by members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Secret Service and initially charged with two counts of robbery, officials said.
On Monday, the U.S. Secret Service filed federal criminal charges against Bustamante-Leiva, accusing him of committing three robberies between April 12, 2024, and April 20, 2025, and after each robbery, making fraudulent purchases using the credit cards obtained from each victim.
Charging documents from the U.S. Attorney's office in D.C. allegedly showed Bustamante-Leiva caught on camera blowing $205.87 on food and alcohol at an Italian restaurant just minutes after he made off with Noem's shoulder bag.
Security footage captured a white man in a N95 surgical mask, dark pants and a baseball cap grabbing the bag before leaving the restaurant.
According to court records, Bustamante-Leiva indicated his desire to voluntarily return to New York. He is being detained at a Washington, D.C., jail until he can be released into the custody of New York officials. He will have to be returned to D.C. for any court proceedings.
Bustamante-Leiva is a reported career criminal whose rap sheet also includes a 2021 shoplifting arrest in Utah and a huge bust in London in 2015, where he was arrested for a months-long theft spree and charged with swiping $28,000 in phones, wallets, and computers, according to the Post.
A second man, believed to be Bustamante-Leiva's accomplice, was also arrested in the Noem theft case. The identity of the alleged accomplice has not been released, but officials said the suspect is currently being held on an immigration detainer as charges are finalized.
Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner, Stepheny Price, Landon Mion and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report. Original article source: Suspect in Noem purse snatching accused of similar crime in NY weeks before
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Fox News
12 minutes ago
- Fox News
DHS releases video of agents arresting suspect who allegedly assaulted border patrol officer
Video shows the moment the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested "a violent rioter" in Los Angeles accused of punching a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shared video of the chaos on X, showing two HSI vehicles blocking a white sedan before officers got out with guns drawn. "This was no hit and run," DHS wrote. "This was a targeted arrest of a violent rioter who punched a CBP officer." DHS said HSI tried to arrest Christian Damian Cerno-Camacho for the assault, and he attempted to flee in the vehicle. Cerno-Camacho was arrested and taken into custody, the video shows. "Our officers are facing a 413% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murder[er]s, rapists and gang member[s]," DHS said. "[DHS] Secretary [Kristi] Noem's message to the LA rioters is clear: you will not stop us or slow us down. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law." Riots across Los Angeles erupted Friday, when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted operations targeting criminal illegal aliens at businesses across the city. About 45 people were arrested in several locations, including two Home Depot stores, a store in the fashion district and a doughnut shop. Among those arrested was 49-year-old Cuong Chanh Phan, an illegal alien from Vietnam with a criminal history that includes a conviction for second-degree murder. Phan was convicted of shooting up a high school graduation party after a dispute, killing an 18-year-old and a 15-year-old. Seven others were injured in the shooting, according to DHS. The FBI also announced it was looking for Elpidio Reyna after he allegedly assaulted a federal officer during one of the anti-ICE demonstrations in Los Angeles. Reyna was allegedly captured on video throwing rocks at law enforcement vehicles on Alondra Boulevard in Paramount, California, resulting in an injury to a federal officer and damage to government vehicles. DHS did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Trump's DHS Launches Hotline to Rat Out 'Foreign Invaders' as Immigration Raids Continue
Trump's DHS Launches Hotline to Rat Out 'Foreign Invaders' as Immigration Raids Continue originally appeared on L.A. Mag. The Trump Administration is ramping up its controversial immigration raids by releasing a flyer that urges Americans to "help your country and yourself" by reporting what the Department of Homeland Security calls "foreign invaders" to a new hotline. The flyer, which is reminiscent of former Vice Presidential candidate Tim Waltz push for neighbors to report others for violating Minnesota's COVID-19 lockdowns, utilized imagery often associated with McCarthyism propaganda released during the Cold War. At the time, Americans were urged to report anyone they suspected of having communist leanings, which ensnared many Hollywood actors who landed on a blacklist that tore through the industry in the 1940s into the 1950s. Eva Barrios, 28, of Echo Park, when shown the poster while walking down Sunset Boulevard, called it "terrifying." She says she supports deporting dangerous aliens, but she now believes the President is taking immigration actions too far. "We are going to turn in someone's nanny? Or the guy mowing the lawn? That poster is gross." The DHS hotline was released as federal officials continue raids across Southern California. Last month, Stephen Miller, Trump's White House deputy chief of staff, told Fox News he has instructed ICE to arrest 3,000 people a day, a major increase in enforcement. Operations, according to ICE media releases, are happening across the nation. Surprise raids in Los Angeles have led to six straight days of unrest and hundreds of arrests. Most recently, footage emerged of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement action on farms in the agricultural centers of Kern County, Tulare County, and Kings County located north of Bakersfield. It remains unclear exactly how many undocumented immigrants have been taken into custody. This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Federal agents capture alien accused of rape, assault while LA politicians condemn ICE operations
Amid fiery anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, federal agents in Baldwin Park, California, on Wednesday arrested an illegal Mexican national wanted for rape and other violent crimes. In an exclusive video shared with Fox News, Arturo Terron-Quevedo could be seen being handcuffed near what appears to be the City Hall building. Ice Ramps Up Arrests Of Convicted Criminals As Riots Rage In Blue City: 'You Will Not Stop Us' A senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official told Fox an ICE Los Angeles officer and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) criminal investigator made the arrest after Terron-Quevedo was released from local custody. He has pending charges for rape, assault with a deadly weapon likely to cause great bodily injury, and inflicting corporal injury, an ICE spokesperson confirmed. California Sheriff Says Newsom 'Encouraged' La Riots As Ice Arrests Violent Illegal Aliens Read On The Fox News App The arrest comes hours after Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, along with 30 other city officials, held a press conference on Wednesday and claimed ICE agents were unfairly targeting illegal immigrants who did not have criminal records. On Sunday, the City of Baldwin Park and Baldwin Park Police Department released a statement noting the entities have "a long history of supporting its immigrant community, regardless of immigrants' legal status." "As Mayor, I speak and advocate for all members of our community, including our undocumented immigrant residents," Baldwin Park Mayor Alejandra Avila wrote in the statement. "The City firmly supports your membership in our community. I recognize that for many this is a scary time, and I hope you know that the City of Baldwin Park and Baldwin Park Police Department support the wellbeing of all our residents." Federal Officials Slam Democrats For 'Dangerous' Rhetoric As Ice Agents Face Violent Mobs In La, Nyc The Baldwin Park Police Department issued a separate statement reiterating it does not participate in the enforcement of civil immigration laws. "Our Baldwin Park police officers are not involved with immigration enforcement activities, and in no way are we participating in their federal actions," Police Chief Robert Lopez wrote in a statement. "The men and women of Baldwin Park Police Department are committed to ensuring that our city continues to be a place where people feel respected, supported, and safe." Lopez added a request for citizens not to "assault law enforcement, commit vandalism or otherwise engage in illegal behavior against any law enforcement."Original article source: Federal agents capture alien accused of rape, assault while LA politicians condemn ICE operations