Police investigate vandalism that damaged pickleball courts in Tannersville

Damaged pickleball and tennis nets at two Tannersville parks left local amateurs facing a sudden loss of court time, turning a vandalism case into a real access problem for players who rely on public reservations at TLC Park and Mountain View Park.

Police said a man was captured on video slashing a pickleball net at TLC Park on Tuesday, May 12, at 7:35 p.m., then returned two days later to Mountain View Park, where three more pickleball nets and a tennis court net were cut. Investigators said the suspect fled in a white Hyundai Tucson and described him as being on crutches with a blue cast on his leg. Pocono Township police are asking anyone with information to come forward.

The damage reaches beyond a single broken net. Pocono Township’s recreation system lists three dedicated pickleball courts at TLC Park and three pickleball courts, plus two tennis courts, at Mountain View Park. Those courts are part of the township’s reservation system, so any repair delay can ripple through organized play, casual drop-ins, and players who have already planned their week around court availability.

Mountain View Park is one of the township’s most significant outdoor recreation sites. Pocono Township says the park opens each year on April 1 and closes in the first week of November, weather and ground conditions permitting. It also includes four reservable pavilions, ADA-compliant restrooms, and accessible parking, which makes the park a major multiuse destination, not just a pickleball stop. When equipment is damaged there, the impact extends to more than one sport and more than one user group.

The incident also comes at a time when pickleball remains in expansion mode in Pocono Township. A 2024 Pocono Record report said the township planned to add three pickleball courts at Mountain View Park by upgrading one basketball court and converting another basketball court into pickleball courts. That kind of investment shows how quickly the sport has grown in the area, and why the loss of even a few nets can immediately squeeze local play.

For Tannersville’s amateur players, the case is a reminder of how fragile shared public facilities can be. A few minutes of damage can wipe out hours of scheduled recreation, and in a sport built on easy access and steady court turnover, that disruption matters fast.