Tech
Mystery solved behind help messages spotted on Google Maps
Help messages and other messages were found in a Los Angeles neighborhood thanks to Google Maps satellite.
In recent days, a Google Maps satellite image of the Lincoln Heights neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles went viral on the social network X (formerly known as Twitter). The image showed several messages written with logs in a vacant lot owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. The words that appeared were “HELP,” “TRAFFIC,” “LAPD,” or “FEDERAL,” which could indicate a possible human trafficking conspiracy. This went viral on X and gave rise to numerous theories, such as illegal activities on the part of the company.
Numerous users, driven by morbid curiosity, revealed their own theories. One user admitted (without proof) that there was a secret subway network beneath the site, through which the alleged activities took place. Another used artificial intelligence to place corpses inside the containers, as well as armed men guarding the area. However, the origin of the messages is not what many people believed, and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) denied the rumors in one fell swoop.
Who was behind it?
According to the police, a man named Jose has been living there for several years, moving the logs around and uttering words that are not, in principle, a sign of help or distress. In fact, they state that they have had several encounters with the subject and that he has refused housing and mental health care on several occasions. Therefore, the police have confirmed that this is not a human trafficking movement or anything like that. Also, the images taken from Google Maps are from 2023, so they have not been published recently.
This is not the first time that Google Maps has been used to solve mysteries and crimes. Recently, the tool came in handy in a murder case in the province of Soria, north of Spain, where a man was seen hiding a body in the trunk of a car. This Google Street View feature has its days numbered. The website wants to replace the traditional cars that drive through the different streets and avenues with special cameras that can be attached to any vehicle. The reason, according to Google, is the convenience and ease of reaching the most remote places on the planet.
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