Pickleball is a great way to meet new people and expand your network.

But, you might come across a bad actor or two along the way.

Enter 53-year-old Jason Lafferty of Lakeland, FL, who engaged in some rather shameful behavior at a local pickleball facility in the Sunshine State on Sept. 6.

According to a report from Fox 13 Tampa Bay, Lafferty was charged with grand theft and criminal use of personal identification - among several other charges - after stealing a phone and wallet from someone he played pickleball with at the Kelly Recreation Complex.

To rub salt into the wound, so to speak, Lafferty used the victim's credit cards at five different locations before his arrest on Sept. 13.

He was already on non-expiring state probation/supervised release at the time of the incident.

This is a cautionary tale for pickleball enthusiasts everywhere.

Beware of "Pickleball Pirates" from now on. Keep your personal items safe and secure.