NOVATO -- Police were searching for a vandal or vandals who removed pool chemicals from a truck and dumped them all over a Novato neighborhood, triggering some anxious moments for local residents and a shelter-in-place warning until it was cleaned up.

Novato police Sgt. Oliver Collins said Novato police and fire departments assisted the Hazardous Materials team early Thursday to shut down several blocks in the area of Bolling Circle, located just east of U.S. Highway 101 at Main Gate Road.

Police discovered three separate gallon containers of Hydrochloric acid - often referred to as muriatic acid - that were emptied on one-block sections of Tinker Way, Mather Court and Randolph Drive, all of which are connected to Bolling Circle, Collins said.

Police received a call from a resident of Tinker Way at around 12:13 a.m. Thursday reporting a possible vandalism incident in the area, Collins said.

Responding officers found that someone had emptied a gallon of the acid on the porch of a house on Tinker Way. The two other spills were located soon after.

"It appears that the chemicals were taken from a pool truck that was parked on Bolling Circle," Collins said. "Hazardous Materials crews are working to neutralize the spill with a cleanup solution."

No injuries have been reported.