Smokey the Bear Helps Nab Thief Selling Stolen Forest Signs on Facebook Marketplace

A man accused of stealing Smokey Bear fire prevention signs from state forests across Florida has been taken into custody, according to state officials. The signs were allegedly being sold for $1,900 each on Facebook Marketplace, as reported by The New York Post.

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson announced the arrest on Wednesday, crediting the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement with apprehending the suspect.

Simpson also gave a nod to Smokey Bear, the iconic mascot of wildfire prevention, joking that he “personally assisted” in the arrest.

Only in Florida… A man stole @smokey_bear signs from the @FLForestService and tried selling them online for $1,900 each. Thanks to @FL_Ag_Law, Smokey got his signs back – and even posed for the arrest! #SmokeyBear https://t.co/CIJdJEklpG pic.twitter.com/IyFtEP1Iwx

— (@_EricCarr) July 30, 2025

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“What happens when dumb criminals poke the bear?” Simpson wrote on social media.

“Our Ag Law Team has a suspect in custody who traveled from Pensacola to Orlando stealing Smokey Bear signs from our state forests and selling them on Facebook Marketplace for $1,900 each. Big thank you to Smokey the Bear for personally assisting in the arrest.”

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The identity of the suspect has not been released. According to Simpson, the man was transported to jail, and criminal charges are pending.

Simpson told Fox 13 that the suspect may face jail time. “Smokey is always around our forest and just got lucky today that he saw the bad guy and got him handcuffed,” Simpson said. “What an idiot, what an idiot.”

What happens when dumb criminals poke the bear?

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. Big thank you to @smokey_bear for… pic.twitter.com/swA1c3WPpG

— Wilton Simpson (@WiltonSimpson) July 30, 2025

The Smokey Bear signs are part of a statewide campaign promoting wildfire prevention. The Agriculture Department, which includes a law enforcement division, has stepped up its wildfire mitigation efforts in recent years.

Last year, wildfires destroyed approximately 24,000 acres in Florida. In response, the state completed 277,000 acres of controlled burns, spent $93 million on upgraded firefighting equipment, and deployed Smokey Bear to promote public awareness.

Simpson emphasized the importance of law enforcement in forested areas. “If you’re going to go in and commit crimes in our forests, you probably need to find a different place,” he said. “Not only will you find smoke in some of those forests, but you’ll find our car officers.”

Simpson concluded by reaffirming Florida’s position on public safety: “We’re the most pro-law enforcement state in the union. Smokey Bear is on the job, also.”

The case remains under investigation, and the exact charges against the suspect are expected to be announced soon.

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