Robert De Niro's NYC townhouse was broken into while he was there, police say

A woman broke into Robert De Niro's New York City townhouse Monday and tried to take the presents around his Christmas tree while he was home, police said.

At 2:45 a.m., officers saw the 30-year-old woman known to police "for numerous burglary arrests," enter the basement of the Oscar-winning actor's Upper East Side residence. The basement door showed signs of forced entry, New York City police said.

Two senior police officials with direct knowledge of the investigation told NBC New York that officers then saw the woman trying to take the presents around the Christmas tree.

That’s when the officials said De Niro came downstairs in a bathrobe, the news station reported. He wasn’t injured.

The woman was taken into custody at the scene and charged with burglary, police said.

She denied going to the actor’s home in a video of her being escorted by police in handcuffs from a precinct.

"I didn't go to Robert De Niro's house," she could be heard saying in the video.

It was unclear Monday if she had an attorney.

The woman has 26 previous arrests, including 16 this year on burglary and petit larceny charges, NBC New York reported. Seven of the burglaries, all on the Upper East Side, occurred within a three-week span that started around Thanksgiving, the senior police officials said.

A spokesperson for the actor said, "We are not making any statement at this time about the robbery at the temporary rental home of Robert De Niro."

De Niro, 79, won two Oscars, for supporting actor in "The Godfather Part II" and best actor in "Raging Bull."