Soccer field damaged by vandals riding ATVs, causing thousands in damage in Bucks County

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP, Pa. - A soccer field a non-profit has called home for 15 years was heavily damaged by vandals. This isn’t the first time the same organization has fallen victim to this type of destruction.

As John Buckland walks around the ice-covered soccer complex behind Herbert Hoover Elementary School, in Langhorne, he’s greeted by endless tire tracks.

"We were alerted by the school the other day," President of Hulmeville Soccer Club, Buckland, said. "They said that they saw people out here on quads, on ATVs tearing up the property, but unable to stop anybody."

The complex is used each year for the club, a non-profit that provides more than 900 area youth the opportunity to learn and play soccer. Now the field is a mess.

"It’s heartbreaking," Buckland continued. "The entire crew here, staff, anywhere from coaches to board members, an entirely volunteer staff, thousands of hours get put into this club on a season-by-season basis, so kids around here have somewhere to play."

Kids are expected to open their season in eight weeks. Sadly, Buckland says this isn’t the first time the field has been marred. "Unfortunately, it’s not. This is definitely a grander scale than what has been before. It’s going to take a lot of work for us after the weather passes for us to repair everything."

On top of the financial burden, "It was a few thousand dollars the last time, but it was on a much smaller scale than this, so I can’t imagine what the total is going to be this time."

Buckland is hoping they’ll get the field fixed in time for March and that this will be the last time they fall victim to this crime. "While it’s fun to ride around on ATV’s and stuff, the trickledown effect from coming out here and doing stuff like this - you could be derailing hundreds of kids from starting their soccer season on time."

Anyone with any information regarding the incident is urged to contact Middletown Township Police.