A Halifax woman is pleading for the return of a very special gift stolen from her driveway sometime overnight Friday.

Kate MacAdam discovered her dark blue BMW 328i missing from the driveway of her home Saturday morning as she went to drive her daughter to dance lessons.

"Then you have the sickening feeling in your stomach," she said.

The car had been parked next to her husband's vehicle at the corner of Quinpool Road and Quinn Street. She said thieves rifled through his car, found the spare set of keys to hers and drove it away.

Carolyn Savoy died in March 2015 after a battle with cancer. (Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame)

The car once belonged to Dr. Carolyn Savoy, Dalhousie University Tigers women's basketball coach for three decades and noted sports psychologist. MacAdam had been gifted the car after Savoy died of cancer in March 2015 at the age of 67.

"She has done amazing work for women and sport, she's in the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame, she's done really amazing work with leadership and women," MacAdam said

"Out of all the women she's helped along the years, that I received this special gift, I feel just beyond nauseated that it was taken away."

MacAdam said Savoy was her mentor and supervised her during studies for her master's degree.

Post on Facebook

"I feel very guilty that it is gone and I had a really hard time breaking the news to her husband to tell him it was stolen," she said.

MacAdam took to Facebook to tell the story of the car in a post that has been shared hundreds of times.

"I find that whenever there's a personal connection with something of value or sentiment that goes missing I feel people really take notice and really try and help you the best they can," she said.

"I'm very appreciative of everybody who is on the lookout for the vehicle."

The car is a 2008 model, four door, with light beige leather interior and Nova Scotia license plate FSL 842.

Halifax police said they are investigating the theft.

93 automobile thefts in 2016

Statistics from Halifax police analysts suggest automobile thefts are up slightly with 252 stolen in 2014 and 254 in 2015.

So far in 2016, 93 automobiles have been stolen.

Police said those numbers include not just cars, but motorcycles, trucks, and other vehicles such as ATVs, scooters and dirt bikes.

For MacAdam, the theft is more than just another statistic.

"The car has great sentimental value to me," she said.

Anyone with information on the vehicle is asked to call Halifax police.