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NYC Sewer Scavengers Emerge, Police Confirm No Damage

6/3/2026

38 7 Full Breakdown

Left

NYPD Secures Sewers

Late-night social-media videos captured groups emerging from New York City sewer manholes in Brooklyn and Astoria.
The NYPD and the city Environmental Protection Department inspected the tunnels and officially confirmed no infrastructure damage.
Police deployed Emergency Services Unit officers to the sewers to safeguard public safety.
A senior officer said they were scavenging valuables; witnesses saw them in waders and flashlights.

Right

Residents Suspect Plot

Brooklyn residents voiced suspicion that the sewer men were targeting local businesses or banks, fearing a religiously motivated plot.
Police and Dept. of Environmental Protection filmed groups of men entering and exiting manholes in Williamsburg and Gravesend Friday morning.
City officials inspected the sewers and confirmed no infrastructure damage.
Local shop owners doubted jewelry recovery, suggesting the activity masks theft or bank tunneling.

History

Historical Context

The 1976 Société Générale vault raid in Nice, led by Albert Spaggiari, used a two-month sewer tunnel to steal 46 million francs, demonstrating that underground routes could breach bank vaults. In 1978, James Burke’s crew stole $5.875 million from the Lufthansa cargo terminal at JFK, prompting extensive investigation by New York authorities. Both cases show how tunnel tactics shaped modern city-wide anti-theft measures.

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NYPD Secures Sewers

Late-night social-media videos captured groups emerging from New York City sewer manholes in Brooklyn and Astoria.
The NYPD and the city Environmental Protection Department inspected the tunnels and officially confirmed no infrastructure damage.
Police deployed Emergency Services Unit officers to the sewers to safeguard public safety.
A senior officer said they were scavenging valuables; witnesses saw them in waders and flashlights.

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