Woman Breaks Into Actor Robert De Niro's Home To Steal Christmas Gifts

A suspected serial burglar was caught attempting to steal Christmas presents from actor Robert De Niro's home in Manhattan, New York.

According to the police, the 30-year-old burglar Shanice Aviles was caught rifling through The Godfather star's townhouse on Monday, December 19.

Aviles allegedly crept down a stairwell which led to the Oscar winner's basement and forced her way inside using a pipe or metal bar.

Aviles is a "known burglar" with at least 26 past arrests on her rap sheet, 16 of the busts were from this year alone for burglary and petit larceny.

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Woman Breaks Into Robert De Niro's Home

The police and sources revealed that Aviles was found grabbing presents under the Christmas tree inside the townhouse and fiddling with the actor's devices.

The police public safety team kept an eye on Aviles as she tried to open doors to businesses in the area before she reached the townhouse.

Sources said Aviles broke into De Niro's home, not realising who lived there. The 79-year-old actor was sleeping upstairs and his daughter was in a bedroom at the time. The two were the only ones at home, excluding Aviles, and were not aware of the burglary attempt taking place.

Reportedly, De Niro came down to the living room as the woman was being arrested.

Aviles was charged with burglary and she also has two open bench warrants as well as pending cases in Manhattan and Queens. Records reveal that Aviles was called to court on charges connected to two Queens burglaries last week.

In one of the cases, she was accused of stealing 1,000 dollars in cash from St Patrick's Church on October 23. In another case, she was accused of ransacking an apartment and stealing a debit card, which she later used to charge more than 50 dollars.

De Niro's spokesperson said he wouldn't make a statement about the attempted robbery and added that the home was a temporary rental home used by the actor.