Crime
Smokey Bear Helps Arrest Florida Man Accused Of Stealing Smokey Bear Signs And Selling Them Online
A Florida man was arrested by Smokey Bear himself after allegedly stealing signs depicting the fire prevention icon from state forests and selling them online, officials said.
“What happens when dumb criminals poke the bear?” Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson wrote alongside photos of the arrest on social media.
“Our Ag Law Team has a suspect in custody who traveled from Pensacola to Orlando stealing Smoky Bear signs from our state forests and selling them on Facebook Marketplace for $1,900 each,” Simpson wrote.
Photos of the arrest shared by Simpson show Smokey Bear assisting officers in arresting the suspect, whose identity was not released. Photos also showed the large signs the suspect was accused of stealing, which depict Smokey Bear holding a shovel to remind visitors to properly extinguish camp fires.
Since 1944, Smokey Bear has been encouraging Americans to prevent wildfires in print, radio, and television ads known for the iconic slogan, “Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires.”
