Three unidentified men were observed climbing out of a manhole in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of Brooklyn on September 25, 2026. The sighting prompted immediate response from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and the New York Police Department, who began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The NYPD noted that the appearance of the three individuals is being examined in connection with a prior case in Manhattan. Earlier this month, two men were arrested after a similar event in a Midtown manhole. Authorities say the two incidents share enough common elements to warrant linking the investigations, though no further details have been released about the nature of the alleged wrongdoing.
Officials from the Department of Environmental Protection confirmed that the manhole in Bensonhurst is part of the city’s underground utility network. They are cooperating with police to determine whether the opening was unauthorized, whether any infrastructure was damaged, and what prompted the men to emerge at that location. The department emphasized that any unauthorized access to its facilities is a violation of city regulations and may result in criminal charges.
The series of recent sightings of individuals emerging from city manholes has raised concerns among city officials about public safety and the security of underground infrastructure. Both the NYPD and the Department of Environmental Protection have indicated that they are reviewing surveillance footage and conducting field inspections to identify any patterns or coordinated activity. The investigation remains ongoing, and no further arrests have been announced as of the time of reporting.