New York City sewer tunnels see rise in illegal treasure hunting

An increasing number of individuals are entering the vast sewer and tunnel networks beneath New York City in search of rumored treasures, such as lost gold. This trend has drawn significant concern from local police and security authorities due to the life-threatening risks involved.

Recently, two men, Samuel Reveron and Kevin Rodriguez, were arrested after emerging from a manhole in Manhattan. Reveron admitted to police that the hope of finding valuable items like gold motivated the excursion. Authorities have observed groups using heavy equipment to force open manhole covers to access the underground systems.

While these illegal expeditions are driven by myths of underground wealth, experts suggest the reality is far less rewarding. Urban explorer Steve Duncan noted that across more than 100 underground excursions, his most notable find was merely an expired credit card.