A whiff of mystery? NYC cops investigate groups entering sewers at night - BERITAJA

New York City constabulary are investigating respective incidents successful which groups of unidentified individuals person been spotted hopping successful and retired of sewers via manholes astatine various locations crossed the city.

The investigation follows the emergence of surveillance footage, which was circulated connected societal media, appearing to show a group of men, immoderate pinch shovels, climbing retired of the sewer strategy successful the mediate of the nighttime successful Brooklyn and Queens.

In 1 video, taken early Friday greeting successful the Williamsburg conception of Brooklyn, a group of about 7 group was recorded popping retired of a attraction spread successful the mediate of an intersection, successful afloat position of passing cars, The Associated Press reported.

Some wore headlamps and carried what appeared to beryllium tools. One narrowly missed getting tally complete by a conveyance arsenic they pulled themselves retired of the ground.

In different incident, 3 group dressed successful waterproof hep waders and different protective cogwheel pried unfastened a attraction spread screen and descended into the sewer connected a thoroughfare successful Queens. The past personification pulled the screen unopen arsenic approaching cars slowed to a stop.

Aki Jakupovic, the proprietor of an car detailing shop, told the AP his shop’s information cameras recorded that group of sewer spelunkers. He said he couldn’t task a conjecture arsenic to what the group did beneath ground, but worried they were “up to nary good.”

A spokesperson pinch the agency of the Deputy Commissioner Public Information astatine the NYPD told BERITAJA about 2 abstracted incidents that occurred a time isolated and were nether investigation by authorities.

In 1 incident, a group was observed entering a sewer manhole astatine about 11 p.m. connected May 28 and past exiting astatine about 2 a.m., the spokesperson said successful an email statement.

The pursuing day, individuals were reported to person entered different sewer successful a different portion of the metropolis astatine 1 a.m. and were allegedly seen exiting astatine 3:40 a.m., they added.

“The NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit and the DEP’s Bureau of Water and Sewer Operations conducted an investigation wrong of the sewer. There is nary threat to nationalist information astatine this time,” the connection concludes.

No injuries person been reported aliases arrests made.

Rob Wolejsza, an NYPD spokesperson, stressed to The Associated Press that entering the sewers is some forbidden and “extremely dangerous.”

“Sewers could incorporate galore hazards, including noxious and perchance deadly gases, unstable surfaces, flooding risks, and confined spaces,” Wolejsza said successful a statement.

“For these reasons, members of the nationalist should ne'er participate a pipe, drain, drawback basin, manhole, aliases outfall.”

Last month, a female died aft stepping retired of her conveyance and falling 10 feet into an unfastened manhole successful Midtown Manhattan.

It was unclear why the manhole was open, police said astatine the time.

— with files from The Associated Press