Woman accused of breaking into Robert De Niro's NYC $69,000-a-month townhome to steal Christmas president is 'doing well' in rehab, court hears

The woman accused of breaking into Robert De Niro’s $69,000-per-month rented NYC townhouse to steal Christmas presents is in a residential treatment program where she is 'doing well.'

Shanice Aviles, 31, was allegedly caught inside the actor’s home on December 18, 2022, and charged with burglary and possession of burglar tools.

De Niro was asleep upstairs at the time of the incident and he was woken up by the commotion. He went downstairs and saw Aviles being arrested.

She appeared in New York Supreme Criminal Court on Tuesday for a hearing where Judge Zhuo Wang congratulated her on her progress in rehab.

Aviles was released from Rikers Island in May on $40,000 bail following the break-in at De Niro’s home but she was arrested again in June and July over other alleged thefts.

The woman accused of breaking into Robert De Niro ’s $69,000-per-month rented townhouse to steal Christmas presents is in a residential treatment program

Shanice Aviles, 31, was allegedly caught inside the actor’s home on December 18, 2022

She was charged with burglary and possession of burglar tools

De Niro was asleep upstairs at the time of the incident and he was woken up by the commotion before he went downstairs and saw Aviles being arrested

Aviles entered a residential treatment program on January 16 and a report on her progress was read out in court.

'Program records show she is compliant with all the rules and protocols,' it stated and a one-month certificate of her stay was produced.

'Congratulations,' Judge Wang said before she received a round of applause.

'Sounds like you are doing really well. We want to encourage you to do what you are doing which is engaging in treatment. Keep up the great work.'

Wang scheduled Aviles’ next court date for May 14 where he will continue to evaluate her rehab progress. 

Aviles previously said the cops had no right to press charges against her over the De Niro incident and wanted an opportunity to apologize to the Oscar winner.

She told the New York Post in an interview from Riker's Island in December 2022 that her arrest 'felt like a set up.'

Through tears, Aviles said: 'I love his movies, all of them! My mother, my grandmother, my grandfather, we all used to watch them. I would love to apologize to him.

Aviles previously said the cops had no right to press charges against her over the De Niro incident and wanted an opportunity to apologize to the Oscar winner. Pictured: De Niro with partner Tiffany Chen 

Aviles was released from Rikers Island in May on $40,000 bail following the break-in at De Niro’s home but she was arrested again in June and July over other alleged thefts

Investigators said that Aviles was attempting to steal presents from beneath the Goodfellas' star's Christmas tree

'I’m being held here on burglary — burglary! I didn’t take any of his stuff. I didn’t have any of his stuff on me.'

Investigators said that Aviles was attempting to steal presents from beneath the Goodfellas star's Christmas tree.

When police arrived, they allegedly found her trying to place gifts into a bag and playing around on the actor's iPad.

Aviles said she was coming home from her brother's house in Long Island City when she noticed that a door to the townhouse was ajar, which leads her to believe that she was set up by the cops.

Police said there were signs of forced entry and that she made her way into the building via a basement door.

They also say that they tracked Aviles attempting to open other doors in the area.

Aviles said of De Niro, 'People have said he’s mean, that he’s not a nice guy, but I think he’s a good guy. He could’ve made some calls and made my bail a lot more.'

Shortly after being taken into custody, Aviles told reporters gathered outside of the 19th precinct, 'I didn't go to Robert De Niro's house... I didn't murder anybody!'

When police arrived, they allegedly found her trying to place gifts into a bag and playing around on the actor's iPad

Prior to her arrest, Aviles was wanted for a string of other burglaries, and has been arrested 26 times before, including 15 times just this year

Prior to her arrest, Aviles was already on the NYPD's radar. She was wanted for a string of other burglaries, and has been arrested 26 times before, including 15 times just this year.

Police said they were following her in the early hours of the morning and watched her make numerous attempts to enter commercial buildings in the area.

Aviles was allegedly seen trying a few doors before she slipped away around a corner. By the time the officers caught up with her they noticed a door to a townhouse was open.

Police do not think that Aviles knew she was entering the home of the man regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time.

She was released from Rikers in May before she was rearrested on June 5 for allegedly stealing $416 worth of goods from a TJ Maxx.

Aviles was then brought back to court where she was placed on electronic monitoring but on July 8 she was charged with burglary and criminal mischief for allegedly breaking into Columbia Teachers College.

Prosecutors claimed she tried to steal electronics and hit a security guard.