Multiple People ‘Crawl’ Out of NYC Manhole Before Fleeing (Video)

Five people were spotted climbing out of a New York City manhole in the middle of the night before jumping into a waiting vehicle and disappearing, adding another bizarre chapter to a growing string of underground incidents across the city.

Police said the group emerged from the sewer system on Manhattan’s Upper East Side shortly after 2 a.m. Friday near East 82nd Street and East End Avenue.

The five appeared to include four men and one woman.

After climbing back to street level, the group reportedly got into a black SUV and drove away. Police said no injuries were reported, and no arrests had been made as of Friday afternoon.

Officers responded to the scene along with personnel from the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

Authorities recovered several tools from the area, including shovels, although investigators have not publicly said exactly what the group was doing underground or how long they had been inside the sewer system.

The strange sighting is far from the first of its kind.

New York police have responded to several reports in recent weeks involving people entering or emerging from the city’s underground drainage and sewer network.

In September, three people were spotted climbing out of a manhole near East 61st Street and Park Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side during heightened security surrounding the United Nations General Assembly.

That incident drew additional attention because the manhole was located near a hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reportedly been staying.

Two Queens men, Kevin Rodriguez and Samuel Reveron, both 25, were later arrested in connection with that case and charged with trespass and conspiracy.

According to authorities, the men told detectives they had entered the underground system to search for valuables that may have been washed into storm drains and sewers.

Police said similar explorers may also be looking for scrap metal or other items that can be resold.

Other unexplained sewer sightings have been reported in Brooklyn and Queens, suggesting the practice may be more widespread than initially believed.

Police have not indicated that Friday’s group is connected to the previously arrested men, and investigators have not announced any evidence suggesting a larger criminal plot.

Entering New York City’s sewer system can also be extremely dangerous.

Officials warn that underground tunnels can contain toxic or potentially deadly gases, unstable surfaces, confined spaces and sudden flooding, particularly following heavy rain.

For now, the identities of the five people seen emerging from the Upper East Side manhole remain unknown.

Police are continuing to investigate the incident.