Five people seen climbing out of Upper East Side manhole, drive off; no arrests
Five people, including at least one woman, were seen emerging from a manhole on East 82nd Street in Manhattan around 2:10 a.m. Friday and drove off. No arrests have been made.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Five people were seen climbing out of a manhole on East 82nd Street on Manhattan's Upper East Side at around 2:10 a.m. on Friday 9 October. ABC NewsLC “The five, including at least one woman, were seen coming out of a manhole on East 82nd Street at around 2:10 a.m.” Read at ABC News ↗ New York PostR “The five figures were spotted climbing out of a steamy pit on 82nd Street and East End Avenue under the cover of darkness around 2:10 a.m., according to police.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1Witnesses told police that four men and one woman emerged, according to law enforcement sources cited by the New York Post. New York PostR “Witnesses told cops that four men and one woman appeared from underground before zooming off in a black truck, law enforcement sources said.” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2They drove off in a black vehicle, described as an SUV by ABC7 and a truck by the Post; ABC7 said it was last seen heading toward East End Avenue. ABC NewsLC “They drove off in a black SUV, last seen toward East End Avenue from East 82nd Street.” Read at ABC News ↗ New York PostR “before zooming off in a black truck” Read at New York Post ↗
Mixed · 2No arrests have been made. ABC7 reported that police and the city's Department of Environmental Protection responded and pulled out two shovels and two other tools. ABC NewsLC “Police responded to the scene along with the city's Department of Environmental Protection. They pulled out two shovels and two other tools.” Read at ABC News ↗ New York PostR “Police said no arrests have been made since Friday’s sighting.” Read at New York Post ↗ Left · 1Last month, Kevin Rodriguez and Samuel Reveron, both 25 and of Queens, were arrested in a similar incident and charged with trespass and conspiracy. ABC NewsLC “The suspects were identified as Kevin Rodriguez, 25, and Samuel Reveron, 25, both of Queens.”“They were charged with trespass and conspiracy.” Read at ABC News ↗ Mixed · 2They told detectives they entered the manhole to look for valuables washed into storm drains and sewers. The Post said Rodriguez spoke of looking for gold, while sewer system experts say nothing of monetary value is to be found underground. ABC NewsLC “They told detectives they entered the manhole together to look for valuables that get washed away in the storm drains and sewers.” Read at ABC News ↗ New York PostR “Rodriguez said he plunged into the sewer looking for gold, though sewer system experts claim there is nothing of monetary value to be found underground.” Read at New York Post ↗
Right · 1The Post also said that case was beneath an Upper East Side hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been staying for the UN General Assembly, and that a trio in overalls and headlamps emerged this summer a block from Madison Square Garden. New York PostR “beneath an Upper East Side hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been staying while in town for the UN General Assembly.”“This summer, another trio of mole men wearing overalls and headlamps crawled out of the ground a block away from Madison Square Garden at 32nd Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan.” Read at New York Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Brief, factual breaking-news report focused on the sighting, the police response and the earlier arrests.
- Emphasis
- Location, time, tools recovered, and the charges in last month's case.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Netanyahu hotel link, the Madison Square Garden sighting, or the claim that nothing of value is in the sewers.
- For example
-
“They pulled out two shovels and two other tools.” — ABC News
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Presents the sighting as part of a 'bizarre underground spree', with a mystery tone.
- Emphasis
- Pattern of incidents, the Netanyahu hotel link, and doubts about the gold motive.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the tools recovered, the DEP response or the charges against Rodriguez and Reveron.
- Charged language
- “mole men”“mysterious sewer divers”“bizarre underground spree”
- For example
-
“The mystery of the mole men continued early Friday morning” — New York Post
What every side reports
- Five people emerged from a manhole on the Upper East Side around 2:10 a.m. Friday.
- They left in a black vehicle.
- No arrests have been made.
- Two men, Kevin Rodriguez and Samuel Reveron, were arrested last month in a similar incident.
Where accounts differ
-
Type of getaway vehicle
- Left
- ABC7 says a black SUV.
- Right
- The Post says a black truck.
Left1 article
-
5 people spotted climbing out of manhole in New York City
Neutral Short factual account of the sighting, police response and last month's arrests.

Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right1 article
-
5 mysterious sewer divers emerge out of NYC manhole, continuing bizarre underground spree: cops
Mixed Playful, mystery-laden narrative linking the sighting to a string of underground incidents.

- 9 Oct 15:31 First ABC NewsLC 5 people spotted climbing out of manhole in New York City
- 9 Oct 20:56 +5h 24m New York PostR 5 mysterious sewer divers emerge out of NYC manhole, continuing bizarre underground spree: cops
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.