Google Earth is a program that has rendered data of 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. It is something that’s used frequently by people across the globe. Since people rely so much on the internet today, this program eases our load to find new places.
The program is a blessing in the modern age for people to find locations in a new place. But it has also served other purposes from time to time. There have been mysteries that were apparently solved by Google Earth. Here is a list of 10 of the biggest mysteries solved by the Google Earth.
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10 Mysteries Solved By Google Earth
10. Crashed Car
20 years ago, a man named William went missing in the state of Florida after visiting a nightclub. There was no trace left behind and no way to find where he went. But two decades later, someone was on Google maps when they noticed something strange in a pond. He was surveying bus routes for his work when he saw what appeared to be a submerged car near the edge of the water. The officials later recovered a car and did find human remains inside. It was later revealed to be William.
9. Stolen Bicycle
In 2008, a man was riding his bicycle through Holland when two men stole his phone, money, and bicycle. The police were unable to help him due to a lack of any leads. But six months later, he was looking through Google street view at the exact place where the event took place. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The street view car had passed by and taken a photo mere seconds before the crime happened. It showed two men approaching him. The cops then recognized the two men.
8. The Dock
This Reddit image went viral when it was posted a few years ago. It shows a dock in Holland that has a blood trail that leads to somebody’s body. The user posted it by saying someone was killed in their house and this was evidence. It was later revealed that the two figures at the end of the dock were not a criminal and a body, but just a man and his dog. What many thought was a blood trail, was actually just water dripping from the dog’s body who had gone for a swim earlier. The wet wood color appeared like blood.
7. Stolen Car
A man named David had his car stolen right out of his driveway. He had just bought this new car. His son decided to look at Google street view. When he looked at their driveway, he realized that the program had managed to catch the thief in the act of stealing the van. It had a full view of his face and what he was doing. The cops believed the act was captured just moments before he drove off. The guy was arrested two years after the crime took place.
6. Swiss Farm
In one of the fields in Switzerland, marijuana was being grown. They were hiding this other farm behind rows and rows of corn to keep it hidden from view. Unfortunately, they probably hadn’t considered Google Earth. The image revealed the grass farm. It led to the arrest of 16 different farmers and the confiscation of over a ton of pot. The police admitted that they hadn’t actually been searching for what they found. They called it a chance discovery. Thanks to Google Earth.
5. Robbery
In 2011, a woman had her home broken into in Oklahoma City. The robbers had weapons and prevented her from interfering while they ransacked the home. It took place in brought daylight and happened for over an hour. Three years later in 2014, a friend was looking at her home on Google street view when she was two men walking down the street just outside her home. They matched the robber’s description. The case was reopened and subsequently solved.
4. Tax Dodging
During the 2000s, an Italian businessman attempted to carry out a tax evasion scheme. He would have gotten away with it if there was no Google Earth. The finance police discovered that he had sold a villa in 2002. It was noted for having a specific phallic-shaped pool. They used Google Earth to find the property and realized it was worth more than any other one in the area. A further inquiry revealed that he was evading tax worth 7 million euros.
3. Nine Years
In 2006, a 72-year-old man named David Miles walked out of his favorite bar in Michigan and was never seen again. A decade later, a man was decorating his Christmas tree when he thought he saw something deep in the lake across the road. He took a look on Google Earth and it revealed the distinct shape of a car in the water. The situation is very similar to William’s. Cops were able to pull the car out and the remains of David were found inside. He was identified by his wallet.
2. Blood Lake
In 2007, some people found a red lake on Google Earth. It’s a lake in Iraq that is estimated to be 500 feet wide and around half a mile long. It is also bright red in color. People quickly started speculating that crimes took place here and the red color is of human blood. Another theory suggested a butchery was using it as a dumping ground. But mysteriously, the lake is back to its normal color if you look at it now.
1. Secret Swimming Pools
In Athens, Greece, you need a special permit to be allowed to build a swimming pool on your land. Reports show that only 324 pools in Athens, which investigators thought was just way too low of a number. So financial crime investigators used Google Earth. Within months, they found over 16 thousand hidden and undeclared swimming pools on people’s properties. The government was able to crack down on them and collected a lot of pool tax.
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