Vandals Allegedly Destroy Theme Park Where Tom Hanks Found Zoltar in ‘Big'

Every kid growing up in the 1980s knew exactly how Josh Baskin in Big (1988) felt. He so desperately wanted to be one of the big kids, but just wasn’t there yet. Now, every adult just wants to be Josh Baskin again.

In the film, Josh wanted so desperately to go on all the rides at what was known at the time as Rye Playland. Since the film, the theme park has changed its name to simply Playland, but the iconic filming location for the transformative scenes in Big still remains.

That’s why it was so disheartening when three young men broke into the theme park on a stolen boat and trashed it over the weekend. The Westchester Police Department estimates that the three caused $57,000 in damage to the theme park.

The three young men allegedly stole a boat from a Connecticut boat club over the weekend and drove it to the beach outside Playland. Once inside, the three reportedly cut and ripped out fiber optic cables, went on some of the rides, stole some stuffed animals, and attempted to flip a photo booth onto the beach, but were not strong enough to get it there.

One of the trespassers, 19-year-old Anthony Conkling of Wykoff, New Jersey, turned himself in to the police on Sunday. He was charged with burglary, trespassing, criminal mischief, and petty larceny in the incident.

Westchester County Police have identified the other two suspects from video footage from the park and expected the pair to turn themselves in to authorities on Sunday.

Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins said that the incident was “heartbreaking,” adding, “I am angry and deeply disappointed by the actions of the individuals who broke into Playland Park and caused such senseless destruction.”

The park, located on Long Island Sound, opened its doors in 1928. While the park has changed names over the decades, it’s mostly known for the iconic scene from the Tom Hanks’ classic, Big. The park is closed for the season, but hopefully, when it reopens, those who allegedly committed these crimes will be held accountable for their actions.

What’s your favorite Tom Hanks film? Let us know in the comments.