Man has priceless race car stolen from storage unit in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A decades-old small race car was stored away for safe keeping when thieves broke into a storage unit and stole it. The owner says it isn't worth much money but it has deep sentimental value to his family.

The car was a quarter midget race car similar to a go-cart. The victim said it was a gift from his grandpa when he was five and it's been a precious memento for decades.

John Lomier is still in disbelief that his beloved midget race car is gone.

"It says driver John on the right side, owner Grandpa Don on the left side. It's got gold leaf #33 on it," said Lomier.

The 1988 custom built car has no motor, wheels, or tires. It was a gift from his grandpa when he was five years old. He raced it until he outgrew it when he was nine. Lomier was keeping it at public storage on Gates behind Costco to make sure it didn't get damaged while in his garage at home. He never thought that thieves would break into his unit and steal it along with a number of other items-- including a 3-wheel Honda motorcycle, child's Honda motorcycle, and motorized scooter.

"All the other stuff can be replaced, but the car-- it's irreplaceable. I just want that back," said Lomier.

Twenty years have passed since his grandfather died. Lomier hoped to give it to his daughter to race and was in the process of fixing it back up again.

Fresno police said hopefully someone will see it and report it to police.

"The quarter midget-- very very unusual. People cannot use that, and once you try and sell it-- that's a very small percentage of people that knows about that vehicle," said Lt. Joe Gomez, Fresno Police Department.

Officers said the suspects used a drill to damage the key lock before prying open the door.

"It's terrible-- it really is terrible. He's not doing anything wrong, just storing his property," said Gomez.

The car has very unique personal markings on it, but investigators have few leads to go on. There was no surveillance video at the storage facility and no suspects have been named.