New Year 2017 Prank: Hollywood Sign Changed to 'Hollyweed'

What if a brand, logo or signboard of a company is changed overnight? Your mind may think of a breach of intellectual rights or copy rights. But what if the giant "HOLLYWOOD" sign board suddenly looks like "Hollyweed". According to Police, someone changed the "Os" of Hollywood in "Es" from the back side of giant signboard.

Visitors and local residents were surprised on New Year morning when they saw the 41 years old and 50 feet tall sign of Hollywood to Hollyweed.

It is also believed that the suspects changed the signboard overnight at around 2:00 pm Los Angele time. The giant Hollywood signboard is guarded by sensors and other tools. These sensors alert the local police in case of any activity around the signboard but it is believed that the suspect had either taken control of the sensors or deactivated them.

The signboard could not be corrected till midday, 12 pm as it is a holiday in Los Angeles. According to Los Angeles Police officer Christopher Garcia, the suspect, probably a man, used Tarps to change the sign. According to CNN the vandal was seen on the security cameras at about 2 am but could not be identified due rain and darkness but was seen dressed completely in black and alone.

Estevan Montemayor, a spokesman for the city councilman David Ryu stated that the sign would be restored. He further said that the Police has launched investigation. Access to the iconic sign on Mount Lee in the Hollywood hills is restricted for visitors.

This giant signboard was first installed in 1976 by a college student who used curtains to replace a 1923 "Hollywoodland" sign, Los Angeles Times quoted Los Angeles Police as saying that incident will be investigate under the charges of Misdemeanor Trespassing.

The sign was also modified on the first day of New Year in 1976 from Hollywood to Hollyweed.