South Jersey little league team pleads for return of equipment: 'Sad day'

SWEDESBORO, N.J. - A South Jersey Little League organization is shocked after they say their turf for their bullpens was stolen. 

The Swedesboro Woolwich Little League says more than two long rolls of turf were taken from Locke Avenue Park.

"We realized that the turf that we were planning on using for these bullpens was missing," said Erica Voll, Board-member Swedesboro/Woolwich Little League.

A situation that left Voll shaking her head. 

She said the second-hand turf that was donated has been sitting alongside their baseball field for months.

On Tuesday morning when they were finally going to install it in their bullpens, it was nowhere to be found. 

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"It’s horrible, these are like little kids, this is a little league organization, we are not a for-profit organization. We are just spending the money that we have to improve what we can for the kids," said Voll.

League officials say they don’t know when the turf was taken, all the know is that their is a huge pile of rubber pellets where the turf once was and a small trail of pellets leading to the parking lot. 

"It’s pretty heavy, you would need a couple of people probably to help you especially if you were going to transport it in a van or something," said Voll. 

While Voll is still left wondering how and why the turf was taken, police are actively working to determine those answers. 

In the meantime their kids who began their season three weeks ago, are now left with a bullpen with some turf and another with nothing. 

"The kids, they’ve been looking at these and they’ve been like really excited to get some turf on those bullpens so that they can use them. A lot of kids use these bullpens not just for little league but just to also practice, get some swings in, get some reps in with the pitching. I think they were looking forward to doing that on turf so, unfortunately now we are going to have to figure what our next step is," said Voll.

Police are currently surveying park cameras as they investigate, but the team is pleading for the equipment to be returned.

Officials from the little league say they are hoping this was just a mistake and if it was, you can just return it. No harm, no foul.

"If you thought it was trash and took it by mistake, please reach out to return it and no charges will be pressed," the team said.