In brief
The New York Police Department booked Kevin Rodriguez, 26, and Samuel Reveron, 25, on conspiracy and trespassing charges after they were found at a manhole in Lower Manhattan. The escape occurred near a hotel expected to house Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the United Nations General Assembly. The officers say the surge in sewer‑related incidents has prompted additional security sweeps with federal partners. Rodriguez and Reveron denied the charges and were released after a hearing. The city warns that entering sewers is illegal and hazardous, citing a recent fatal incident.
The New York Police Department booked 26‑year‑old Kevin Rodriguez and 25‑year‑old Samuel Reveron on charges of conspiracy and trespassing after the two were spotted climbing out of a manhole in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday.
\The incident took place near a hotel that was expected to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the United Nations General Assembly, a fact that prompted the department to increase caution and conduct extra security sweeps in partnership with federal authorities.
\Rodriguez and Reveron, residents of Queens, were apprehended Thursday after reports that they fled the scene following a police call around 4:30 EST on Wednesday. In a court appearance on Friday morning they pleaded not guilty and were granted release on bail.
\This arrest follows a recent pattern of citizens emerging from pavement manholes across the city. In August footage captured a person exiting a manhole in Queens early in the morning, and later that month the department reported on three individuals climbing out near Penn Station. In May, surveillance caught a group moving a cover and descending into a sewer in South Brooklyn.
\Officials warn that entering the underground sewer system is both illegal and dangerous. Hazards include toxic gases and sudden flooding in confined spaces, and a woman lost her life last year after falling into an open manhole in Midtown Manhattan.
\The police statement stresses that the current situation is part of a broader security response tied to the United Nations event, and that the department will continue its vigilance to prevent further illicit entry into city infrastructure.
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