3 Nabbed for Treasure Hunt in NYC Sewers

Three men arrested after New York police spend four hours searching for suspects in sewer system.
3 Nabbed for Treasure Hunt in NYC Sewers

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Instead of finding “gold, jewelry and guns,” three New York men have found themselves hit with criminal trespassing charges.

Part-time employee for the city Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Marquis Evans, 21, hatched a treasure hunt scheme with two friends, Damien Nieves, 35, and David Hannibal, 45. Evans opened a manhole for Nieves and Hannibal, who quickly disappeared underground to go on a “scavenger hunt” for discarded or lost valuables.

Evans stayed behind to stand guard, but a passer-by noticed the suspicious activities and alerted the authorities, who ended up spending four hours searching for treasure seekers.

“God knows what they were looking for,” says Police Commissioner Bill Bratton. “I know damn sure I wouldn’t be crawling through the sewers of New York, but these three evidently were up to something down there.”

The three men were charged with criminal trespassing. Evans was also charged with reckless endangerment, criminal facilitation, possession of marijuana and disorderly conduct.

“This case is entirely overblown,” says Evans' lawyer, Antonio Villaamil. “Lifting a manhole cover is not something you need a special key to do. It’s a 70-pound piece of metal. Anyone can lift it.”

The DEP has suspended Evans.

Source: CBS New York, New York Post

"U.S. Sewer Cover" by Greg L is licensed under CC BY 3.0



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