Serial burglar shrugs off attempt to steal Robert De Niro’s Christmas presents: ‘I didn’t murder anybody’

The Bobster

Senior News Editor since 2004

Serial burglar shrugs off attempt to steal Robert De Niro’s Christmas presents: ‘I didn’t murder anybody’​



By
Reuven Fenton and

Jorge Fitz-Gibbon


December 19, 2022 3:59pm
Updated












More On: robert de niro






The career thief allegedly caught red-handed inside Robert De Niro’s rented Manhattan townhouse early Monday shrugged off the alleged burglary, claiming she was innocent.
“I didn’t murder anybody!” Shanice Aviles, 30, yelled at reporters as she was led out of the Upper East Side’s 19th Precinct stationhouse in handcuffs on Monday afternoon — just after being booked on burglary charges.
“I didn’t go to Robert De Niro’s house!” Aviles — who at one point flashed a smile for the cameras — said before she was placed into a waiting NYPD car.
Aviles, who has at least 26 prior busts — including 16 this year alone for burglary and petit larceny — was found fiddling with the “Goodfellas” actor’s iPad and grabbing presents under the Christmas tree inside the townhouse around 2:30 a.m., police and sources said.
Cops with the NYPD’s 19th Precinct public safety team had been keeping an eye on Aviles, watching as she tried to open doors to businesses in the neighborhood before she got to the townhouse, according to the sources.


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Shanice Aviles at one point smiled for the camera while being led out by cops.
Shanice Aviles at one point smiled for the camera while being led out by cops. Elder Ordonez / SplashNews.com

Shanice Aviles
Shanice Aviles claimed she didn’t break into Robert De Niro’s townhouse while being led to court to face burglary charges in the incident. Elder Ordonez / SplashNews.com

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The officers then followed her into De Niro’s rented $69,000-a-month home, not realizing who lived there, the sources said.


The 79-year-old star was asleep upstairs and his daughter was in a bedroom at the time.


Police said there were signs of forced entry.




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De Niro's townhouse was unlocked.
De Niro’s townhouse was unlocked. G.N.Miller/NY Post

Shanice Aviles was busted while inside De Niro's townhouse.De Niro's townhouse was unlocked.
Shanice Aviles was busted while inside De Niro’s townhouse.

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Police said Robert De Niro, 79, was upstairs sleeping when serial burglar Shanice Aviles allegedly broke into his Manhattan townhouse and tried to steal Christmas presents.
Police said Robert De Niro, 79, was upstairs sleeping when serial burglar Shanice Aviles allegedly broke into his Manhattan townhouse and tried to steal Christmas presents. Getty Images for Convergence Ent





Aviles was charged with burglary. She was taken to the Lenox Hill precinct for processing before she was led out and headed to Manhattan Criminal Court for her arraignment.


She wore faded blue jeans, a black Nike sweater, a wool cap and a parka as she shouted at reporters gathered outside.


Authorities said Aviles also has two open bench warrants, including for skipping out on court-ordered drug rehab last week, as well as pending cases in Manhattan and Queens.





Reps for De Niro said they were not commenting on the burglary.
 
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