NYPD Investigates Sewer Scavengers Seen Near Penn Station
The NYPD has revealed new details about a group of people caught on camera climbing out of a manhole near Penn Station in Manhattan, saying detectives believe underground scavengers may search the city’s sewer system for valuables.
The incident happened around 4 a.m. on August 18 near Seventh Avenue and 32nd Street. Video circulating on social media shows three people wearing overalls and headlamps emerging from a manhole one after another. Police continue to search for the three people involved in the latest incident.
Detectives say they have encountered similar cases involving people entering New York’s extensive sewer network. Investigators believe many of those scavengers are migrants who may have brought the practice with them from countries such as Venezuela, where authorities have documented a scavenging culture.
Police have not arrested anyone in connection with the Penn Station incident. However, detectives have identified people involved in previous sewer cases. Prosecutors dismissed some low-level charges because the suspects had no prior criminal records, while prosecutors declined to pursue other cases, according to the NYPD.
The incidents have raised concerns because Penn Station sits near major transportation hubs and Madison Square Garden. However, officials say inspections have not uncovered damage to the city’s infrastructure following recent sewer incidents.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection warned that entering the sewer system creates serious risks. Officials cited toxic and potentially deadly gases, unstable surfaces, flooding and confined spaces as hazards. The department also reminded residents that entering manholes and other parts of the sewer system violates the law.
New York City maintains roughly 7,400 miles of wastewater and stormwater pipes, creating a massive underground network that stretches throughout the five boroughs.
NYPD Investigates Sewer Scavengers Seen Near Penn Station was originally published on rnbphilly.com
