The 30-year-old cat burglar is arrested for breaking into Robert De Niro’s Upper East Side home and stealing gifts from under his Christmas tree while he slept upstairs
- Shaunice Aviles, 30, was arrested at the Robert De Niro home around 3:30 a.m. Monday
- The police were already following the serial burglar when she broke into the house
- They found her hiding presents from the tree in a large bag
- De Niro slept upstairs but was awakened by the commotion on the lower level
A 30-year-old serial burglar has been arrested for breaking into actor Robert De Niro’s home last night and trying to steal presents under his Christmas tree.
Shanice Aviles was followed by NYPD officers around 3 a.m. this morning when she broke into De Niro’s seven-bedroom townhouse on East 65th Street.
She has already been wanted for a number of other burglaries and has been arrested 26 times before.
De Niro, 79, woke up at 3am this morning to police confronting serial burglar Shanice Aviles in his living room. The police officers were already watching her because she is a known burglar and petty thief. They watched her break into De Niro’s home and went after her
Police at Robert De Niro’s home in Lennox Hill on the Upper East Side today after the burglary
De Niro’s seven bedroom townhouse on the Upper East Side. He awoke to the excitement of the cops confronting the burglar below
Police officers saw her enter De Niro’s home and followed her inside.
They found she was trying to steal De Niro’s gifts and put them in a bag, and she was also using the star’s iPad, according to ABC 7.
De Niro, 79, woke up from the excitement and came down the stairs in his bathrobe.
Until then, officers had no idea it was his home. It is unclear if Aviles knew it was his home.
De Niro was sleeping in one of the seven bedrooms (above) when the burglar gained entry
Sources told the New York Post it was another example of the “catch and release” system New York is failing
“This is just another example of the catch and release system we are dealing with. Back in the saddle with that culprit,’ they said.
De Niro has not commented on the burglary. He was in the house with his daughter.
The actor split from his second wife Grace Hightower in 2021. The couple have an 11-year-old daughter together.
Cops found Aviles hiding presents in her bag under the tree. She also played with De Niro’s iPad, it said