A Portland driver has been stuck in a loaner car for the past month after thieves drilled two holes into her gas tank and drained the fuel, leaving her waiting on a backordered replacement tank that will cost her nearly $5,000. Michelle Damis is one of several drivers now caught up in what local mechanics describe as a rising tide of gas tank drillings across the Portland area, a crime that can net thieves roughly $100 in stolen fuel while sticking victims with repair bills that dwarf the payout.
Portland-area mechanics have reported an increase in gas thefts involving thieves drilling holes into tanks to siphon fuel, according to KGW. Damis had attended the premiere of Wildwood in Portland's Hollywood District when thieves drilled two holes into her gas tank, the station reports. She has been driving a loaner vehicle for the past month while she waits on a replacement tank that is currently on backorder, and the station notes the exact cost and timeline for her repair remain unresolved.
Two Holes, One Goal: Draining the Tank
The mechanics of the crime are straightforward and destructive. Thieves drill into a vehicle's gas tank to drain gasoline, and they tend to target cars and trucks with higher ground clearance, which make the undercarriage easier to reach. One repair bill approached $3,000, and the damage is difficult to prevent even with protective shields installed underneath a vehicle.
Zach Hager owns Autotek International. Gas tank drillings have drawn attention amid rising fuel prices. A Los Angeles repair shop fixes a drilled tank about once a week.
Police Can't Say How Big the Problem Is
The scale of the problem remains uncertain, even as mechanics describe damaged vehicles coming through their shops.
The pattern isn't new to the city. Back in March 2022, police told KOIN they had received at least four reports of gas theft that month alone, after a North Portland couple reported $1,300 in damage when someone drilled a hole into their truck's tank. The Rossmans also discussed gas prices in connection with the theft.
A Pattern Playing Out Beyond Portland
More recently, KATU reported a gas tank drilling incident near Northeast 60th Avenue and Glisan Street in late August 2025 that caused thousands of dollars in damage. A woman identified as Angela told the station that multiple men drilled into the bottom of her car's gas tank in broad daylight, and she said her fuel gauge read empty the next morning after she had left the car with a quarter tank.
The trend has surfaced outside Oregon as well. The Washington Post has reported drill-and-drain gas thefts rising alongside fuel prices, and CBS Colorado documented similar cases there, including driver Joanne Taylor, who said thieves drilled two holes in her tank and stole a full 22-gallon load of fuel, with repairs costing her almost $2,000.
What Drivers Can Do
AAA recommends parking in a garage when possible, or in a well-lit area if a garage isn't an option. With stolen fuel nearly untraceable once it's gone, prevention remains the main tool drivers have against a crime that can leave them facing thousands of dollars in repairs over a tank of gas worth a fraction of that.
