Satellite images showing the word “HELP” spelled out about a dozen times on a piece of land in Los Angeles have sparked conspiracy theories about illegal activities.
The unusual sight, captured on Google Earth, is located along the Los Angeles River in Lincoln Heights, near the corner of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and Mission Road.
The images show the word written multiple times with large pipes on land owned by the Union Pacific Railroad.
Satellite images showing dozens of “HELP” signs have fueled conspiracy theories
Image credits: Google Maps
Additionally, the Spanish words for “trafficking,” “federal,” and “terrorism” were also spelled out, as well as “LAPD” and “FBI,” the Los Angeles Times reported on Monday (January 27).
Close to a shipping container yard, the site has led internet sleuths to speculate that the messages might be linked to victims of human trafficking.
“If it’s a joke it is in dangerously poor taste. This sounds like someone or a group of someones are being trafficked and used materials available to them to spell out an SOS. I hope if a random person noticed, authorities noticed as well,” one Reddit user wrote.
Image credits: Google Maps
“I won’t be surprised there’s human trafficking going on,” said someone else.
A third commented: “That’s scary! It should be taken seriously because they tried hard to get noticed by writing ‘Help’ multiple times. I hope Police go check that area before the criminals find out that it’s trending on X and potentially move locations.”
“I honestly don’t know if this is just kids fooling around, or something real, but you can get into the yard through […] a hole in the fence,” added another X user who went to explore the place.
“I just like to believe this is a prank. It seems to me like it’s just a bunch of kids playing a prank.”
The markings were found along the Los Angeles River in Lincoln Heights
Image credits: Google Maps
The LAPD said that it had responded Sunday (January 26) to an “unknown trouble” call in the area.
“Upon arrival, officers conducted a thorough investigation and found no evidence of any criminal activity or threat in the area,” the statement read.
The LAPD also shared that the Google Earth satellite images were taken in 2023. A news helicopter for KTLA showed that the words were still at the property as of Monday, as per the LA Times.
In a statement, the Union Pacific Railroad refuted any theories involving human trafficking or other criminal activities.
Image credits: LAguy310
A spokesperson for the railroad company said that they are aware of a man who has been trespassing on their property and other nearby lots “to create misleading messages.”
“We want to remind the public that it is illegal — and more importantly unsafe — to trespass on Union Pacific property,” they told Bored Panda in a statement. “No one was or is in danger.”
However, people wanted to conduct their own research and visit the site for themselves.
In addition to “HELP,” Internet sleuths spotted other words, such as “trafficking” and “federal,” written in Spanish
Image credits: LAguy310
Another social media user shared that he had traveled to the location and interviewed homeless people in the area. He spoke to a woman who said a homeless man named José had written the messages.
“It’s just one guy. He always—he puts that,” she explained, adding that he lives under the bridge on the other side of the yard.
“He is the one that puts it all the time, you know? But he puts it all the time. He writes it everywhere. I don’t know if you see it…
“I mean, he just always, for some reason, it’s been years that he’s been doing it.”
Image credits: LAguy310
While some suggested the messages might be part of a prank, others speculated they could be linked to human trafficking, as the site is near a shipping container yard
This is the very best angle you can get pic.twitter.com/qdgGJ9Nwgk
— LAguy (@LAguy310) January 26, 2025
The unidentified woman said she’s unsure about his motivation for writing the messages or whether there are any concerns about human trafficking, but she believes the same man is behind all the signs.
Responding to the woman’s comments, the LAPD Central Division stated that they had “several different contacts” with José, adding: “He has refused housing or a mental health evaluation. There is no evidence of Human Trafficking. He has been at the location for a few years.”
A woman in the area said a homeless man spelled out all the signs
Image credits: nmewrath
Josette Caruso, a separate X user, speculated that the markings might be a form of protest against construction projects in the area, which are allegedly displacing homeless individuals and small businesses.
“It’s mostly Hispanic people living there and many of them have lived and had businesses in the area for 30+ years and are being forced out in favor of this construction,” he wrote.
Mystery solved, but you know the pedopanic folks will ignore it pic.twitter.com/wurVastoM5
— Wrath (@nmewrath) January 27, 2025
“It may be a homeless man mad at being forced to move his encampment like some have said, it may be several locals coming together and trying to scare away the construction, it may even be a street artist like some L.A. residents have speculated.
“But looking at the pictures and the sheer size of some of the materials used to create these ‘signs’ I’d be willing to bet it’s not anyone being trafficked and legitimately looking for help… it’s too obvious and would put them in too much danger,” Caruso continued.
“I’d put my money more on some sort of protest from angry inhabitant(s) of the area.”
People continued to debate who was behind the disturbing signs
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