In brief
New York Police Department detained 26‑year‑old Kevin Rodriguez and 25‑year‑old Samuel Reveron on conspiracy and trespassing charges after they were seen climbing out of a sewer entrance close to a hotel intended for high‑profile guests. The incident sparked a security sweep as the United Nations General Assembly approached. In recent weeks several other men have been caught moving through city sewer systems, prompting officials to warn the public about the dangers of illegal underground entry. The arrests come amid a string of incidents that include a fatal fall into a manhole in Midtown Manhattan.
Police in New York City detained two men on Wednesday after surveillance footage showed them emerging from a manhole near a hotel in Manhattan. The building was expected to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly.
Kevin Rodriguez, 26, and Samuel Reveron, 25, were charged with conspiracy and trespassing. They fled the scene after climbing out of the sewer entrance when officers were dispatched at 4:30 a.m. local time.
The case follows a recent pattern of people entering the city’s underground for valuables. In August, a man was recorded climbing out of a manhole in Queens, and earlier the same month NYPD investigated a trio of workers near Penn Station seen using overalls and headlamps. In May a group moved a manhole cover to access a Brooklyn sewer.
Entering the sewer is illegal and dangerous. Officials warn that sewer workers face toxic gases and flooding. The city’s Environmental Protection Department has urged citizens never to enter pipes, drains, or manholes. A tragic incident earlier this year resulted when a woman fell into an open manhole in Midtown, a fatality that fuels the police’s cautionary stance.
The two arrested men pleaded not guilty during a Friday hearing and were released on bond. Meanwhile, the NYPD is conducting additional security sweeps in coordination with federal partners to protect the area surrounding the anticipated UN Assembly site.
