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More sewer diving on the UES: 5 people seen climbing out of manhole
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 9, 2026
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NYC DEP
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 9, 2026
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Five people were spotted climbing out of a manhole on the Upper East Side early Friday morning, according to the NYPD, the latest in a string of sewer sightings since the spring that has perplexed New Yorkers.
Friday’s instance is at least the seventh time since May that groups of people have been seen going into or exiting the sewer system in the city and on Long Island — and the second incident on the Upper East Side in just over two weeks.
Police responded to a call reporting a possible crime outside an apartment building on East 82nd Street at about 2:10 a.m., according to the NYPD. Once there, they were told that a group of five people had climbed out of the sewer and left in a vehicle heading east, police said.
No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing.
Subterranean exploits have been reported across the city, including just outside Penn Station and in Brooklyn from Williamsburg to Bensonhurst and Gravesend. A sewer surfacing near Park Avenue and East 61st Street happened as world leaders were in town for the U.N. General Assembly. Police stepped up security sweeps in the area, accordingly. They later arrested two Queens men in connection to the East Side sewer dive on trespass charges.
The working explanation for at least some of the late-night sewer excursions appears to be treasure-hunting. NYPD spokesperson Brad Weekes said last month that people have been known to enter the sewers “to look for valuables and other scrap metal after a storm.”
The men arrested in connection to the last Upper East Side excursion seemed to confirm as much. The men told police they’d gone into the sewers “to look for valuables that get washed away in the storm drains and sewers,” according to the criminal complaint.
The city’s Department of Environmental Protection has repeatedly warned against this sort of activity, noting that entering the city’s sewers is both illegal and extremely dangerous.
Tagged
manhattan
public safety
Ryan Kost
Ryan Kost is a reporter on the day-of news desk, where he covers breaking news and writes enterprise stories about jails, courts, prosecutors and government accountability. His work focuses on the public institutions that shape life in New York. Before joining the newsroom, he lead a multi-part investigation with Columbia Journalism Investigations and New York Focus into how New York prosecutors handle wrongful conviction claims. He's also been a staff writer at The San Francisco Chronicle, The Associated Press and The Oregonian. Got a tip? Signal: ryankost.20
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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