The actor’s Upper East Side NYC townhome was reportedly burglarized in the wee hours of the morning on Monday, Dec. 19, with a woman entering the property and attempting to steal presents from under the Christmas tree, according to police. The 30-year-old woman, identified as Shanice Aviles, was arrested on burglary charges after she was spotted entering De Niro’s home on 61st Street between Lexington and Park Avenues, around 2:45 a.m. via a basement door—which NYPD officers said showed signs of forced entry—and proceeding to bag up gifts. “They did an interior patrol and discovered her inside the residence taking property,” an NYPD spokesperson said, per the Los Angeles Times. According to ABC 7, authorities were trailing Aviles because she was wanted in connection with six other burglaries. Police sources described her as a recidivist who allegedly has 26 prior arrests for theft and petit larcenies, the outlet reports. De Niro was home at the time of the incident, but only came downstairs to the scene after hearing the commotion once the trespasser—whom he allegedly had no interaction with—was arrested. His daughter was also reportedly in the home in an upstairs bedroom at the time. Police did not know it was the Raging Bull star’s house until he appeared. Thankfully, no one was harmed during the occurrence and the perpetrator was promptly taken into custody.
