NYPD investigates migrants scavenging sewer near Penn Station

New York police are reviewing surveillance footage that captured three people climbing out of a manhole on Seventh Avenue near 32nd Street at about 4 a.m. last Tuesday. Detectives say the individuals, who were wearing overalls and headlamps, are likely migrants who enter the city’s sewer network to look for items of value.

No arrests have been made in this latest case, but investigators note that similar suspects in earlier incidents were either charged with minor offenses that were later dismissed or faced no prosecution. The department is also seeking three people linked to an August 18 incident in the same area.

City officials emphasize that entering the sewer system is illegal and hazardous. > "DEP works closely with our public safety partners to help ensure the safety and security of critical infrastructure throughout New York City. Entering the sewer system is both illegal and extremely dangerous. Sewers can contain numerous hazards, including noxious and potentially deadly gases, unstable surfaces, flooding risks, and confined spaces. For these reasons, members of the public should never enter a pipe, drain, catch basin, manhole, or outfall," a Department of Environmental Protection spokesperson said.

Local construction worker Matt McCann, who has observed similar activity, said, "I don't know what the hell they're doing down there because they get the waders on. You know, they got their coal miners caps going on."

Earlier this summer, similar videos showed small groups emerging from sewers in Brooklyn and Queens. Arrests were made in May in Williamsburg and Gravesend, where those detained said they were scavenging for valuables, though some charges were later dropped.