Florida authorities say a man is in custody after he went on a bizarre, multi-city crime spree — stealing Smokey

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.

An unusual crime spree involving stolen Smokey the Bear signs led investigators to discover they were being sold online for as much as $1,900, Florida officials say. The iconic signs, which promote fire safety,