ORLANDO, Fla. – A man accused of traveling to Orlando to steal and resell Smokey Bear signs from state forests was arrested with the iconic wildfire prevention mascot present, state agriculture officials said.
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson posted on social media to announce the arrest of the man, who he said traveled from Pensacola to Orlando to steal the signs that he then listed on Facebook Marketplace for $1,900 each.
“Big thank you to @smokey_bear for personally assisting in the arrest," Simpson said on X on Wednesday.
What happens when dumb criminals poke the bear?
— Wilton Simpson (@WiltonSimpson) July 30, 2025
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
No other information, including the man’s name, was released.
News 6 has reached out to the Florida Department of Agriculture for more information.