Trio of New Jersey men charged in vandalism spree and stuffed animal theft at New York park
Nov 12, 2025, 4:16 PM
NEW YORK (AP) — A trio of New Jersey men have been arrested following a vandalism spree at a New York amusement park that involved slashing cables, stealing stuffed animals and a rowboat escape, police said.
The men — a 20-year-old and two 19-year-olds — have all surrendered in recent days to Westchester County police their role in the Sept. 23 break-in at Rye Playland, which caused an estimated $57,000 in damages.
Police said the three friends arrived at the waterfront park before midnight on a small boat they had apparently taken from a marina in Connecticut, on the other side of the Long Island Sound.
After jumping a fence, they ripped out fiber optic cables from an electrical room and made off with 200 stuffed animals in garbage bags, police said.
They also “attempted to throw a photo booth off the boardwalk but were unable to do so,” according to a police account, which was also backed up by surveillance images shared on social media.
The men then boarded the stolen boat and returned it to the Connecticut marina, police said.
The suspects — who hail from Wyckoff, New Jersey; Oakland, New Jersey; and Pompton Lakes, New Jersey — have all voluntarily turned themselves into police in recent days. They now face felony burglary and criminal mischief charges.
Their attorneys did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
