VIDEO/PHOTOS: A man is under arrest for stealing Smokey Bear signs from across Florida. “Smokey is always around our forest and just got lucky today that he saw the bad guy and got him handcuffed,” said Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “What an idiot, what an idiot.” Law enforcement officers with the Department of Agriculture say the suspect was posting the signs for sale on Facebook marketplace for $1,900 apiece. “(Smokey) goes to schools, he’s known by our children, he’s known by our families, he is known throughout the United States,” said Simpson.
“Who goes and steals an image of Smokey the Bear and then tries to profit off of that?” The thefts shed a spotlight on the state’s effort to prevent forest fires, which destroyed 24,000 acres in 2024. The department did 277,000 acres of controlled burns in 2024, spent $93 million on upgraded equipment, and yes, they dispatched Smokey to remind us that “only you can prevent forest fires.” It’s also why they have their own law enforcement department.
They caught this thief in the act. “If you’re going to go in and commit crimes in our forests, you probably need to find a different place,” said Simpson. “Not only will you find smoke in some of those forests, but you’ll find our car officers.” This time, Smokey got his revenge. He’s not throwing this criminal haphazardly into the woods. “We’re the most pro-law enforcement state in the union,” said Simpson “Smokey Bear is on the job also.” The man, whose name was not released, was taken to jail. Criminal charges are pending, but Simpson said he could face jail time.
