Jesse Scheckner
Only YOU can prevent forest fires. But when it comes to nabbing a “dumb criminal” for stealing signs of his likeness from Florida state forests, Smokey Bear himself will join in the effort.
Smokey posed for a pic Wednesday with the bungling bandit, who was apprehended by members of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement.
An FDACS spokesperson identified the man as Hunter Lovett. He faces felony grand theft charges.
Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson announced the arrest in an X post, writing, “What happens when dumb criminals poke the bear?”
Authorities picked up Lovett, who allegedly traveled from Pensacola to Orlando while stealing Smokey Bear signs from state forests. Simpson said Lovett then sold them on Facebook Marketplace for $1,900 apiece.
When it came time for police to place Lovett in the backseat of an FDACS truck bound for booking, someone donned a Smokey Bear costume to pose for a thumbs-up picture.
Smokey also hopped in the driver’s seat of the vehicle for another snapshot Simpson shared online.
A LinkedIn page for an Orlando man named Hunter Lovett lists his status as “unemployed.” It’s the only such entry for a person with that name in Florida.
Florida Politics is awaiting confirmation from FDACS of who wore what appears to be a stuffy Smokey Bear suit.
Created in 1944 by the U.S. Forest Service in partnership with the Ad Council and the National Association of State Foresters as part of a campaign to urge civilians to prevent forest fires during World War II, Smokey Bear’s first appearance was on a poster painted by artist Albert Staehle depicting him pouring a bucket of water on a campfire.
His original catchphrase, “Only YOU can prevent forest fires,” was updated in 2001 to “Only YOU can prevent wildfires” to reflect a broader range of fire threats.
A couple of fun facts, including one that may bode poorly for this week’s criminal: Smokey has his own ZIP code, 20252, which the U.S. Postal Service gave him in 1964 due to the enormous volume of mail he received. His likeness is also protected by the federal Smokey Bear Act of 1952, which bans the unauthorized commercial use of his name or image, with violations punishable by up to six months in prison and a minimum fine of $250.
This report will be updated.
