--- title: "Authorities Alarmed as Mysterious Figures Emerge From Sewers" description: "City officials were were left scratching their heads following two separate incidents involving mysterious individuals climbing in and out of manholes in Brooklyn." date: "2026-06-01" modified: "2026-06-01" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/future-society/authorities-alarmed-mysterious-figures-emerge-sewers" categories: - "Future Society" --- # Authorities Alarmed as Mysterious Figures Emerge From Sewers ![Illustration of a strange man emerging from beneath a manhole cover, eyes peeking out of the dark.]() *Shutterstock / Futurism* City officials were were left scratching their heads following two separate incidents involving mysterious individuals climbing in and out of manholes in Brooklyn. As local Fox affiliate [*WPIX* reports](), at least eleven people entered the sewers in the Gravesend neighborhood in southern Brooklyn late Thursday night, only to reemerge three hours later. A separate group of eight people also climbed into the sewers in Williamsburg — several miles away — mere hours later, leading to even more questions over whether the two incidents were in any way related. And no, as far as we can tell, the individuals aren't the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the beloved fictional gang of anthropomorphic crime-fighting turtle brothers who call the sewers of New York City their home, despite [netizens drawing plenty of comparisons](). Surveillance footage [obtained by local publication the *Flatbush Scoop*](), shows what appears to be a group of men climbing out of the sewer one by one, removing dirty gear, loading equipment into vehicles, and driving away. https://twitter.com/YWNReporter/status/2060406768761549199?s=20 Why anybody would want to spend time inside the city's sewers, especially at such a late hour, remains a mystery. Were they perhaps trespassing to explore the area and record "urban exploration" videos for social media — or were they possibly hiding contraband? Police officials have ruled out any apparent links to terrorism, [according to *CBS News*](), and no arrests have been made. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection was not pleased, emphasizing that entering the sewers isn't just illegal, it's dangerous as well. "Sewers can contain numerous hazards, including noxious and potentially deadly gases, unstable surfaces, flooding risks, and confined spaces," an agency spokesperson told *WPIX*. "For these reasons, members of the public should never enter a pipe, drain, catch basin, manhole, or outfall." There's precedent to the baffling incidents. Three people who climbed into the sewers in Brooklyn's Bensonhurst neighborhood in April 2025 were eventually charged with burglary and criminal mischief. "Last time I heard about this was 'Ninja Turtles," local resident Lou Venturelli [told *CBS*]() at the time. **More on sewers:** [*Explosive Russian Sewage Leak Spurts as High as High-Rise Buildings*]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()