Some people can’t understand how a person can be emotionally distraught at the loss of an automobile. It isn’t like a beloved pet or family member we’re talking about. It’s a replaceable piece of steel, wire, and rubber after all, right? Yet cars can become vessels of memories and good times, and can sometimes become as cherished as any dog or great-aunt Ethel.

 Chris Snow bought a 1966 Ford Mustang for his son Jeremy, and the two of them worked long and hard to restore it together. But last week the Mustang was stolen from in front of Jeremy’s high school, reports Fox 40 News. So now Chris is offering a $10,000 return for the car.

Judging from the pictures posted on a Craigslist listing put up seeking more information, Chris and Jeremy put a lot of time, money, and effort into doing this Mustang right. Chris bought the car for Jeremy’s 16th birthday, but it isn’t the monetary value of the car that Jeremy is going to miss. “”More than anything, it was what the car meant to me, not the money value of the car,” Jeremy told Fox 40.

Who can blame him? A father-son project car builds a bond that lasts a lifetime, and these are exactly the kinds of memories that become tied up in cars. As such, Chris is offering $10,000 for the return of the car. If anyone has any information about this Mustang, you can contact the Davis, California Police Department, or call Chris Snow directly at (530) 304-6531.

Here’s hoping that big cash reward leads to the return of this father-son project.