'Mole men' emerge from Manhattan manholes, prompting NYPD investigation

New York police have launched an investigation after videos spread online showing unidentified men climbing out of manholes in the middle of Manhattan.

A video posted to TikTok shows three men in work clothes, each wearing a headlamp, crawling one by one out of a manhole on a New York street.

The person who posted the clip said it was filmed at around 4:19 a.m. Tuesday (local time) at the intersection of 32nd Street and 7th Avenue near Penn Station in Manhattan.

After emerging from the manhole, the men walked along the sidewalk as if nothing had happened. Why they had been underground in the early morning hours remained unclear, drawing both curiosity and unease from the public.

New York saw similar incidents in May, when people in comparable attire were repeatedly spotted crawling out of sewers in Brooklyn and Queens, drawing wide attention.

Police deployed an emergency response team to search the area at the time but found no direct threat to the public and no suspicious objects.

A city investigation found no significant damage to sewer infrastructure. However, speculation arose that the individuals may have been "treasure hunters" searching the sewer network for valuables.

The New York Police Department said in a statement Monday that it was "aware of the incident and actively investigating," adding that no arrests had been made. Police said they are searching for the three individuals connected to the incident and are reviewing available surveillance footage.

City officials stressed that entering a manhole without authorization is "not only illegal but extremely dangerous."

A spokesperson for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection said the sewer system can contain "numerous hazards, including harmful and potentially lethal gases, unstable surfaces, flood risks and confined spaces," and that for these reasons "members of the public should never enter pipes, drains, catch basins, manholes or outfalls."

New York City's sewer system was built in the 1800s and consists of a complex network of sewer and stormwater drainage pipes stretching 7,400 miles.

bbo@heraldcorp.com