The theft occurred at a hamburger restaurant in central Washington DC during Easter, reports CNN. Noem confirmed the incident when she visited the White House for an Easter celebration on Monday.
Surveillance footage from Capital Burger shows an unknown man in a face mask stealing the purse and leaving the restaurant, according to the Secret Service.
The purse also contained the minister's passport, driver's license, and checkbook, according to reports. The large amount of cash, 3,000 dollars, is explained by a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, stating that Noem had visitors from her family:
She would have withdrawn the money to treat her family to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts.
Security experts describe the incident in the media as serious and something that needs to be further investigated, both in terms of the stolen goods and how close the thief got to the minister.
Noem was previously the Governor of South Dakota. In March, she made headlines when she visited a high-security prison in El Salvador and recorded a video standing in front of prisoners held behind bars. In the video, she warned migrants against coming to the USA illegally and said they risk ending up in a Salvadoran prison.
That she simultaneously wore a Rolex watch worth over half a million kronor has been criticized in the media as inappropriate.
The USA and El Salvador have signed an agreement that allows the USA to deport undocumented migrants there, regardless of nationality.
