• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Mysterious 'help' signs captured on Google Earth spark major concern online

Home> Community

Updated 11:43 30 Jan 2025 GMTPublished 11:38 28 Jan 2025 GMT

Mysterious 'help' signs captured on Google Earth spark major concern online

Locals decided to investigate

Jess Battison

Jess Battison

Usually, a wander around Google Earth will be to look at your uni mate’s house or to figure out what random bar you stumbled into the other night.

But one area has sparked major concern online as people have spotted mysterious ‘help’ signs.

An empty lot in downtown Los Angeles has gone viral after a screenshot was shared to X in recent days.

Google Earth images show the word ‘HELP’ repeatedly written in the dirt as well as ‘trafico’ and ‘LAPD’.

Advert

Racking up millions of views, conspiracy theories soon began over what was going down there as locals were quick to provide an explanation.

The words can be seen on Google Earth (Google Earth)
The words can be seen on Google Earth (Google Earth)

Despite there being huge concern on social media over the unsettling image, police haven’t been able to verify any crimes that could connect to the ‘help’ messages.

On Sunday (26 January) morning, a Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokesperson said the force had responded to an ‘unknown trouble’ call near the 101 Freeway and Mission Road.

"Upon arrival, officers conducted a thorough investigation and found no evidence of any criminal activity or threat in the area," a statement to The LA Times explained. Officers also added that the messages spotted on Google Earth were from 2023 and that they had notified Union Pacific Railroad

Advert

However, local news station KTLA sent out a helicopter crew for its news report, finding the words were still on the ground on Monday (29 January).

So, as was a given with such a viral theory online, one person said they went over to the area where they found a number of homeless people.

X user ‘LAguy310’ spoke to people there and claimed: “OK so apparently Jose is writing all the HELP signs.” They claimed a homeless man had been writing these alarming messages in the dirt for many years.


And the official LAPD Central Division account responded, shutting down the conspiracy theories floating about.

Advert

“We’ve had several different contacts with the individual you speak of. He has refused housing or a mental health evaluation,” it wrote.

“There is no evidence of Human Trafficking. He has been at the location for a few years.”

Union Pacific also backed this up as a statement to LADbible explained: “A man trespassed on Union Pacific and other nearby properties to repeatedly create these misleading messages.

“We do know the individual that creates these, does so on neighbouring properties as well.”

The company also echoed that there was no evidence to suggest someone was in danger.

Advert

LADbible has contacted the LAPD for comment.

Featured Image Credit: Google Earth

Topics: Conspiracy Theory, Google Earth, US News, Google, Weird

Jess Battison
Jess Battison

Jess is a Senior Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include asking everyone in the office what they're having for tea, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021.

X

@jessbattison_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
a day ago
  • SWNS
    4 hours ago

    Mum who had baby using 'free sperm from Facebook' explains why she'd never do it again

    Laura certainly didn't go down the conventional route

    Community
  • Kennedy News and Media
    a day ago

    Woman shocked after 'ghost cat' she feeds disappears 'into thin air' in terrifying camera footage

    Maybe the cat was on its 10th life...

    Community
  • YouTube/ZackDFilms
    a day ago

    Simulation shows grim rodent torture method that caused maximum suffering for prisoner

    It was one of the more painful ways to go out in medieval times

    Community
  • Youtube/The Clairity Project
    a day ago

    Woman who was placed into a coma explained reality of what you feel

    21-year-old Claire Wineland was placed into a coma at 13 when a surgery went very wrong

    Community
  • Shoppers spot little-known hack to claim free Apple AirPods 4 worth £129
  • People left shocked after spotting 'mysterious doorway' when looking at Antarctica on Google Maps
  • Diver shows reality of mysterious 'hole' completely blacked out of Google Maps
  • Lead Flat Earth conspiracy theorist shares 'evidence' one of the biggest events in human history was staged