New York City crime crisis: Burglaries and drug busts soar
New York City councilman Joe Borelli responds to news that a repeat offender broke into actor Robert De Niro's home and the NYPD seized over 600 pounds of marijuana.
Critics are demanding action on New York City's crime policies after an alleged serial burglar broke into legendary actor Robert De Niro's New York City townhouse early Monday morning.
New York City councilman Joe Borelli said on "Fox & Friends First" Tuesday that the crime is indicative of the dangerous trend plaguing the Big Apple.
"When you speak to any one of the progressive people on the council or the state legislature, they continue to advocate for less criminal justice rules, for the closing of Rikers Island, for the de-carceration of the carceral system, whatever that even means, and really spend more time fighting for the rights of criminal justice perpetrators rather than the victims of the criminal justice system," Borelli told co-host Carley Shimkus.
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"People who get burglarized are real victims of a very scary crime," he continued. "It was probably not pleasant, Robert De Niro, to have a burglar in his house, and again, until we change the laws here, we're not going to see drastic changes in our crime rates."
Police arrested 30-year-old Shanice Aviles for allegedly breaking into De Niro's townhouse Monday morning while the actor and his daughter were home.
(Eric Kowalsky / MEGA/ Splash)
She supposedly broke into the home through the basement shortly before "stealing Christmas presents."
Aviles reportedly has an extensive rap sheet, with her more than two dozen arrests just this year comprised of petty larceny and burglary charges.
But Borelli blamed politicians for their soft-on-crime policies, warning violent offenses have soared in New York City because there are "no consequences" for breaking the law, and this has surmounted to repeat offenders being able to evade punishment.
"This was sort of a run-of-the-mill burglary, which unfortunately has become more commonplace in New York City," Borelli said. "Robert DeNiro may not like Republicans, he may have an ax to grind with the former president, etc., that doesn't mean that I want him to get burglarized. I don't want any New Yorker to get burglarized."
Robert De Niro's temporary apartment in New York City. (Elder Ordonez/SplashNews)
"But we see this catch and release system where a person who was arrested 16 times in the last 12 months, that person still gets offered de minimis cash bail," he continued. "She gets referred to drug treatment programs instead of jail, and the net result of having no consequences is that she's out there to burglarize people's homes, including Robert DeNiro."
Aviles had reportedly been arrested as recently as December 8, and is known to police to be one of the top five burglars within the precinct.
Critics have been quick to point out as crime soars in the Big Apple and nationwide, it has gotten little media attention unless the victim is in the public eye.
"Unfortunately, for the people who are victims of crime in New York, it seems like the only time crime is highlighted is when somebody famous is the victim," Steve Doocy noted during "Fox & Friends" on the incident.
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Despite the policies, Borelli praised law enforcement for quickly arresting the alleged perpetrator, but blamed politicians for the "broken" criminal justice system they have yet to fix.
"There is no explanation other than in a state legislature who refuses to act, even though the evidence is right before their eyes that repeat criminals are the ones causing all the crimes," Borelli said. "The 19th police precinct did a fantastic job. They knew this person was likely to be burglarizing. They saw this record of her actions previously and were actually following her and tailing her, knowing that she was going to commit a crime."
"If that doesn't tell you all you need to know about the just systemic, broken nature of New York's criminal justice system, then I'm not sure whatever will," he continued.
De Niro was spotted leaving his townhome on Monday after the incident, and told reporters he was "good" following the burglary.
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