Police caught Shanice Aviles, 30, in the act of attempting to steal presents from Robert De Niro’s Upper East Side townhouse.
Sources revealed that Aviles was well-known as a serial burglar and had been tracked by the NYPD’s 19th Precinct Public Safety team. She allegedly used a pipe or crowbar to break into the actor’s residence through the basement door.
Police have arrested 19-year-old Aviles for allegedly stealing presents from Robert De Niro’s rental home. According to the police report, when 19th Precinct officers found her on the second floor of the home, she was attempting to do something with the actor’s iPad and the presents under his Christmas tree.
Aviles reportedly proclaimed her innocence, exclaiming, “I didn’t murder anybody!”
Aviles, who was arrested at Robert De Niro’s townhouse in Manhattan, has a long criminal record, with at least 26 arrests this year alone. Her latest arrest follows two burglaries in Queens, where she allegedly stole a debit card and $1000 in cash from St. Patrick’s Church.
At her arraignment she was released without bail, claiming that her presence at De Niro’s was coincidental.
“She has repeatedly failed to take advantage of the rehabilitative services that enable her to detox, stay out of trouble, and appear [for] court dates. The defendant demonstrated that she would not engage with services. She will not return to court, and she will re-offend if she is released,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Dylan Los Huertos told the judge — and Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Melissa Lewis agreed.