The smell of gas filled the first level of Hearst Street parking structure at the University of California, Berkeley Friday and a portion of it was cordoned off with police tape.
This after students got a public safety advisory by email about someone drilling into gas tanks - damaging the vehicles - and spilling fuel on the concrete floor.
“Sparks, the car exploding maybe. Also the fluid dynamics of a tiny little hole is probably not as good as a tube,” said student Conner Mi when asked about the dangers of drilling into a gas tank.
According to the UC Berkeley Police Department, there have been two vehicles in the parking structure this week that have had their gas tanks drilled.
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"It's pretty insane,” said student Jay M. “I was thinking this might have something to do with the rise in gas prices."
The Bay Area has some of the highest average gas prices in the country.
According to AAA, a regular unleaded gallon of gas goes for about $4.83 and the national average is $3.42 cents - a difference of more than $1.20.
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"It feels like it's just shot up in like the last six months,” said Michael Paterson.
A spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff's Office says they've investigated gas thefts before -- especially when prices surge.
In Sacramento County last week, a repair shop got security camera video of someone hopping onto their lot and siphoning gas from customers' cars.
UC Berkeley police have not speculated on a motive for the two incidents on campus.
A university employee, who spoke with NBC Bay Area, said one of the damaged vehicles was a university van.
Investigators have not released any information on who might be responsible for the two incidents.
