After mystery men emerge from NYC manholes, officials warn of ‘extremely dangerous’ sewers

Mystery men who are “up to no good” have been roaming New York City’s vast sewer system, and city officials on Tuesday warned potential copycats of dangers they’d face exploring Gotham’s treacherous underground.

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There’ve been at least three documented sewer incursions since May 5 in America’s largest city, with no reported injuries so far, officials said.

“Entering the sewer system is both illegal and extremely dangerous,” a spokesperson for the city’s Department of Environmental Protection said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Sewers can contain numerous hazards, including noxious and potentially deadly gases, unstable surfaces, flooding risks, and confined spaces. For these reasons, members of the public should never enter a pipe, drain, catch basin, manhole, or outfall.”

Auto repair shop owner Aki Jakupovic was burning the midnight oil at 2 a.m. on May 5 in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, when he made eye contact with sewer explorers as they lowered themselves down.

“I knew they were up to no good,” Jakupovic told NBC News on Tuesday, recalling the strange late night/early morning encounter outside his shop. “They just looked up, look down and continued like I wasn’t there. You know, I’ve seen a lot of crazy stuff in New York, but this was really something.”

He and his staff called 911 and moved customers’ cars, parked outside, into the garage.