BROOKLYN (WABC) — Three men were spotted climbing out of the sewer at Bay Ridge Parkway and 17th Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, at 4:34 a.m., the NYPD said Friday.
A 911 caller told police the individuals were wearing brightly colored clothing.
The manhole was closed by the time police arrived
Residents in the Bensonhurst neighborhood are now raising concerns about the sighting.
“I’m thinking where else is this happening? I mean, you know those things are connected,” said Alan Barczyk, who lives near the intersection.
The report is the latest development in what has become an ongoing sewer mystery that has drawn attention across the city.
“What are you doing down there? You’re affecting the whole entire neighborhood if you damage everything. So it’s, you know, I hope they get caught,” said Bensonhurst resident Dimitri Leonardos.
City crews spent much of Friday working in the neighborhood’s manholes. At one point, workers removed a shovel from the sewer system.
The Brooklyn sighting came after an earlier incident on Wednesday near Park Avenue and East 61st Street in Manhattan. Two suspects connected to that case, Kevin Rodriguez and Samuel Reveron of Queens, had already been arrested and were in court Friday morning.
After their arrest, the two men told police they were searching for valuables that had been washed into storm drains and sewers.
“I think it’s absolutely insane. I don’t know where people find the free time to go in sewers 4:30 in the morning, what their motive is. It can’t be anything good that comes out of that,” Leonardos said.
Residents said the incidents have created unnecessary concerns and expenses.
“It’s a waste of taxpayer money. You know, if they got hurt down there at 4:30 in the morning, no one knows to come help them, they could cause a whole entire emergency,” Leonardos said.
As of Friday, police had not identified or arrested the people seen emerging from the sewer in Bensonhurst. Rodriguez and Reveron are charged with trespass and conspiracy.
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.