A strange New York City mystery has captured public attention after several groups of people were filmed climbing in and out of manholes in Queens and Brooklyn, sparking jokes, theories and warnings from city officials.
The incidents began in early May, when three people wearing hip waders and carrying flashlights were seen opening a manhole cover in Queens in the middle of the night and climbing down into the sewer system. Later in the month, similar scenes were recorded in Brooklyn, where groups of people were seen entering or emerging from manholes in different neighborhoods.
The unusual footage quickly spread online and led some local outlets to label the individuals “mole people.” Others compared the scenes to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the fictional characters who live in New York’s sewer system. But city officials say the real-life incidents are not funny and could be extremely dangerous.
The NYPD has said there is no immediate threat to public safety, but its investigation is ongoing. Police have inspected some of the affected areas and found no evidence that anything dangerous was left behind in the sewer system. No arrests or injuries have been reported in the most recent incidents.
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One theory being examined by investigators is that the groups may have been searching for valuables that end up underground, such as jewelry, coins or other items lost through drains and street openings. NBC New York reported that a senior law enforcement official said investigators believe some of the people may have been looking for valuables in the sewage system.
That theory is not entirely new. New York’s underground infrastructure has attracted urban explorers and treasure hunters before. In past cases, people have entered sewers illegally in search of valuables, including gold, jewelry or other discarded items. Similar stories have circulated for decades, adding to the city’s long history of underground legends.
Still, officials warn that entering the sewer system is illegal and dangerous. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection said sewers can contain toxic or deadly gases, unstable surfaces, flooding risks and confined spaces where people can quickly become trapped or overcome by fumes. The agency said members of the public should never enter pipes, drains, catch basins, manholes or outfalls.
The fascination around the story also reflects New York’s unique relationship with its hidden infrastructure. Beneath the city’s streets are thousands of miles of tunnels, pipes, sewers, abandoned spaces and utility systems. Most residents rarely think about them, but every so often a story from underground breaks into public view and becomes part of the city’s folklore.
The term “mole people” has also been used in the past to describe people living in tunnels, abandoned subway spaces or underground structures. Sociologists, photographers and writers have documented underground communities in New York and other cities, including Las Vegas, where some people live in storm-drain tunnels.
But officials have not said the recent New York incidents involve people living underground. For now, the sightings appear to involve groups entering and exiting the sewer system for unknown reasons.
That uncertainty is part of why the story has gone viral. Some New Yorkers suspect urban explorers. Others think the individuals may be scavenging. Some have offered more dramatic theories, though police have not announced evidence of a broader criminal plot.
The mystery has become a classic New York summer story: strange, visual, slightly absurd and just serious enough to keep authorities involved.
For now, city agencies are asking residents not to copy the behavior. Whatever the people in the videos were doing underground, officials say the risk is real and the sewer system is no place for curiosity seekers.
Why It Matters
The story matters because it involves public safety and critical city infrastructure. Even if the people entering the sewers were only exploring or searching for valuables, officials say the activity is illegal and dangerous.
It also shows how quickly unusual city footage can become a viral mystery, especially in New York, where underground spaces have long fueled rumors and urban legends.
What Comes Next
The NYPD’s investigation is expected to continue as officials try to identify the people seen in the videos and determine whether the incidents are connected.
City agencies are likely to keep warning the public not to enter manholes or sewer infrastructure, citing the risk of toxic gases, flooding, injury and entrapment.
🚨Who Are the Men Emerging From New York’s Sewers at 2 A.M.?
Videos showing random groups of men climbing out of New York City manholes in the middle of the night have gone viral, and of course the internet has filled in the blanks.
The NYPD says there’s no threat to the public… pic.twitter.com/khQbkJBOGe
— Skywatch Signal (@UAPWatchers) June 2, 2026
