NYC manhole mystery: Why people are crawling in and out of New York City sewers, according to police

Three people were seen entering a manhole in New York City on Sunday, marking at least the eighth sewer-diving incident in the city and on Long Island since May. In the latest incident, three men were seen entering a manhole in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood shortly before 1 a.m. When police arrived at the scene, the men were gone. Just last week on October 9, five people were spotted climbing out of a manhole on the Upper East Side. The group drove off in a black SUV, leaving behind shovels and other tools. Other sewer spelunking cases in the city have been reported outside Penn Station, in Williamsburg, in Bensonhurst, and in Gravesend. Traversing NYC’s sewers seems to be on the rise, but what’s inspiring spelunkers to take the plunge? Going for gold Police and officials from the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) say that sewer divers are likely entering the sewers as would-be treasure hunters, looking for lost valuables and scrap metal washed away during storms. While this is unsafe for the perpetrators, officials say it poses no threat to the public. Treasure hunting is confirmed to have been the motivation for two men who were caught entering and leaving …