Two men arrested in New York after allegedly climbing out of sewer manholes

New York City police arrested two 25-year-old men, Kevin Rodriguez and Samuel Reveron, on Friday on suspicion of illegally entering the city's sewer system. According to local outlet WABC, both face charges of trespassing and conspiracy.

Court documents cited by WABC show that neither charge was eligible for bail, so both men were released without needing to post bond. Reveron was placed under supervised release, while Rodriguez was released on his own recognizance.

The New York Post reported that Reveron allegedly told police that he and others entered sewers to search for valuables washed into storm drains, including gold and other items of worth.

Part of a wider pattern

The arrests followed reports that three people were seen emerging from a manhole near Park Avenue and East 61st Street on Manhattan's Upper East Side at around 4.35am on Wednesday, during the United Nations general assembly taking place in the city. The group reportedly fled north along Park Avenue after surfacing.

Police learned of the incident after responding to a 911 call about a possible crime, and a police surveillance camera captured the scene. A police spokesperson said the case matched the pattern of recent incidents involving people entering sewers to search for valuables and scrap metal after storms. Citing the sensitivity of the UN assembly location, police said they were conducting additional security sweeps with federal partners.

In late August, police investigated a social media video showing three people emerging from a manhole near Madison Square Garden. That followed a string of similar sightings in Brooklyn and Queens, where those involved have been dubbed "mole people" by onlookers. In June, a witness described the phenomenon to NBC New York, likening the masked individuals climbing out of sewers to the Ninja Turtles.