Overview
- Security and doorbell cameras captured small groups prying open manholes and climbing into sewer access points in Queens and multiple Brooklyn neighborhoods, with footage showing planned gear and exits.
- Video details include hip waders, headlamps, shovels and clothing changes after surfacing, which investigators say indicate organized, deliberate entries rather than accidents.
- The New York Police Department and the Department of Environmental Protection inspected the sites, reported no infrastructure damage or lingering hazards, and opened an active investigation with no arrests so far.
- Police have suggested the groups may be scavenging for valuables, but veteran sewer explorer Steve Duncan and urban-exploration creators say sewers rarely yield valuables and that exploration or content creation are plausible motives.
- City officials warn that unauthorized entry is illegal and dangerous because of confined-space hazards, toxic gases, sudden flooding risk and restricted cellular service, and they control access to the sewer system for public safety.