Two men arrested after emerging from manhole near Netanyahu’s hotel, police say

Key Points:

• Two men, Kevin Rodriguez and Samuel Reveron, were arrested after emerging from a manhole near a hotel where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regularly stays during the UN General Assembly, but police say their actions were unrelated to targeting the hotel.
• The suspects were charged with criminal trespass and released after arraignment; their presence underground was part of a broader pattern of individuals searching sewers for valuables and scrap metal.
• Authorities, including the NYPD and US Secret Service, used advanced technology and traditional detective work to identify and apprehend the suspects amid heightened security concerns.
• The investigation revealed no links to international officials or terrorism, with suspects apparently motivated by desperation to find resalable valuables like gold and copper.
• The case highlighted the effectiveness of law enforcement collaboration and technology in addressing security alarms that ultimately had an unremarkable criminal motive.