Adam DeVault, the 1999 inhabitant of the Smokey mascot costume, left his costume in his apartment after wearing it for the October 2 game against Auburn (UT won, 24-0) while he went to dinner with friends. Upon his return home, he discovered that Smokey—head, hands, feet, and body of fur—was missing. Suspecting a practical joke, he called his friends but found them as shocked as he. UT and Knoxville police were called and began an investigation.
Although DeVault and UT tried to keep the news of the missing Smokey low-key, news leaked out, and the theft graced the front page of USA Today, as well as local newspapers. It was featured on CNN, and was the subject of both news and talk shows on local radio stations. Radio station WIVK offered a $1,000 reward for the return of the suit, no questions asked. DeVault wore the “backup” Smokey costume the next week to the Georgia game. The Athletics Department appealed for return of the costume, valued at $3,500, and made plans to order a new costume.
Nearly six months after it was stolen, the mascot outfit was returned unharmed to the Knoxville Police Department after being discovered on the Auburn University campus. A friend of DeVault’s from Auburn was visiting with friends when she noticed a picture of Smokey surrounded by six girls that appeared to have been taken on the Auburn campus. She notified DeVault and called back a couple of days later with all the information needed—one of the girls in the picture had provided names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three suspects—two male and one female. DeVault called KPD, who contacted Auburn City Police Chief Ed Downing. Downing and his police force confiscated the picture of Smokey with the girls, took the picture to the suspects’ home, and solved the case. DeVault declined to press charges, but UT and Auburn administrators worked out an agreement for the thieves to serve community service, along with other punishments.