Two vehicles parked at the Iowa State Center were unlawfully moved without both car owners’ permission Thursday to make room for early tailgaters.

ISU Police Capt. Gene Deisinger said his department received phone calls from Stephanie Minks, senior in animal science, and Tim Legg, senior in computer engineering, Thursday evening reporting the incidents.

“We received a report from Ms. Minks saying her vehicle had been moved in lot D-3 to another area in the lot,” he said. “Shortly after that, Mr. Legg called and said his [vehicle] was moved also.”

Lot D-3 is located at the far east side of the Iowa State Center along Elwood Drive.

“[Neither] Iowa State nor ISU Police were involved with the moving of the vehicles,” Deisinger said.

He said in the place of the two vehicles were two recreational vehicles and a red fire truck. When questioned by ISU Police at the site of the incident, employees of Butch’s Amoco, 100 East Lincoln Way, said the two RVs belong to Butch’s Amoco, also a donor to the university, and the students’ cars were parked on the site of where they tailgate.

Deisinger said there was no apparent damage done to either vehicle.

Legg said he was “surprised” by his car being moved.

“It wouldn’t have really bothered me if [Butch’s Amoco] would have left me a note and explained to me why they towed the car,” he said. “It was peculiar, and the more I thought about it, the more annoying it became.”

Legg said his car was moved 20 to 30 feet away from its original spot and illegally parked on a yellow strip.

“If [Butch’s Amoco] does this kind of stuff and gets away with it, I wonder what other things they’re doing,” he said. “These guys tow cars for a living; it’s their profession. They know the rules and they knew they were breaking them.”

Several attempts to reach Butch’s Amoco by phone were unsuccessful.

“The situation is under investigation and charges are under consideration,” Deisinger said.

Under Iowa Code 321.78, injuring or tampering with a vehicle, “Any person who either individually or in association with one or more other persons willfully injures or tampers with any vehicle or breaks or removes any part or parts of or from a vehicle without the consent of the owner is guilty of a simple misdemeanor.”