Sewer Climbers Trigger Midtown Security Sweep

Police officers secure a residential street with patrol cars and yellow tape — Photo: Steve Sanchez Photos / Shutterstock

New York City police arrested two men after they climbed out of a Park Avenue manhole steps from the hotel where Israel’s prime minister routinely stays during United Nations week.

Story Snapshot

Police arrested two Queens men after a manhole emergence near Netanyahu’s usual UN-week hotel.
Officers say surveillance video captured the manhole exit before the suspects fled the area.
NYPD charged the men with trespass and conspiracy amid heightened United Nations security.
Police linked the case to recent sewer-entry incidents and swept the area out of caution.

Arrests Near High-Security Hotel During UN Week

New York City police said they arrested Kevin Rodriguez, 26, and Samuel Reveron, 25, after a report that men emerged from a manhole near Park Avenue and East 61st Street early Wednesday. That corner sits close to the Upper East Side hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regularly stays for the United Nations General Assembly. Officers charged both with trespass and conspiracy after a citywide search tied them to the incident.

CNN reported that the New York Police Department tracked the pair as part of a manhunt launched after the manhole sighting. Police said the location and timing drew a larger response because global leaders and security details were in town for the United Nations events. Authorities said the case involved emerging from the city sewer system, which police view as off-limits without authorization.

What Police Say They Saw On Video

Local outlets said surveillance footage captured at least two people coming out of the manhole near the hotel before leaving the area. Fox 5 New York reported that the footage placed Rodriguez and Reveron at the scene. Investigators said the men fled uptown in vehicles, prompting a wider search and added sweeps by federal partners near the hotel and nearby blocks out of an abundance of caution.

ABC7 New York identified the suspects by name and age and reported the trespass and conspiracy charges. The outlet said the arrests came Thursday evening, about a day after the early morning sewer emergence that triggered the security review. Police said a third person seen at the scene has not been publicly identified as of the latest reports, and the investigation continues.

Pattern Of Sewer Incidents And Security Response

Police linked the event to a broader pattern of people entering the city’s sewer system in recent months. The New York Daily News reported that officers have seen similar behavior, often by people searching for valuables or scrap after storms. That base pattern helps explain the conduct, but police still treated the Park Avenue emergence as sensitive because it happened during the United Nations General Assembly near a well-known diplomatic hotel.

🔴 NYPD arrests two men emerging from NYC sewers near Netanyahu's UN lodging

The New York Police Department arrested Kevin Rodriguez, 26, and Samuel Reveron, 25, both from Queens, on charges of conspiracy and trespassing after three men were seen exiting a manhole near the hotel… pic.twitter.com/yAH60ulwCv

— NewsTongue (@NewsTongueX) September 26, 2026

Officials said they added security sweeps around the Upper East Side site after the sighting. ABC7 New York reported that the New York Police Department and federal agents canvassed the area and checked infrastructure near the hotel. That posture reflects how protective teams handle crowded, high-stakes weeks in Manhattan: treat odd behavior as a possible risk first, then sort it out through arrests, interviews, and charges if laws were broken.

Why This Matters To Public Trust And Daily Life

New Yorkers expect strong security during major events, but they also expect clear reasons for police actions. Here, officials gave both: a violation of city property rules and a location tied to a head of government during a global summit. Many Americans across the political spectrum worry that the system protects insiders while daily problems go unsolved. Swift, transparent steps like clear charges, named suspects, and visible sweeps can help rebuild some of that trust when unusual incidents occur.