AURORA, Colo. (CBS4)– A porch pirate has stolen a priceless piece of an Aurora man’s family history, and he’s now asking for the community to keep an eye out for the piece of art. Holland Rock-Garden said he’s missing a painting created by his late grandfather, an Air Force veteran.

“My grandfather passed away in late August,” Rock-Garden said. “Being at his home, I saw all his paintings and they reminded me a lot of my childhood.”

Rock-Garden said he asked his mother if he could have one of the paintings to remember his grandfather by. She later mailed one to his home in Aurora.

“We just bought this house a month ago and I thought it would be nice to have something of him around,” Rock-Garden told CBS4.

Last Wednesday, Rock-Garden got an email from his mom asking if he has received the painting in the mail. Not knowing it had been sent, he went to his front porch and saw nothing was there.

He contacted the post office who said the painting had been scanned and delivered to his home.

“They sent the carrier over and she confirmed she left the package on the doorstep,” he said. “And it was just gone.”

Since then, Rock-Garden has spent hours searching the neighborhood for his family’s treasured painting.

“I have canvassed the neighborhood, went to all the local pawn shops, filed a police report with Aurora police,” he explained. “I haven’t had any luck.”

Rock-Garden’s grandfather was an Air Force veteran, and many of his paintings were of places he saw while serving. This piece was special, a reminder of a man dear to his heart.

“Having another part of him be taken away, sort of makes it all worse,” he said.

Rock-Garden said he is hoping someone will realize the sentimental value of the painting, and return it. He said if so, there will be no questions asked.

“It’s got no value to you but it means a lot to me and it means a lot to my family,” Rock-Garden said.

He told CBS4 the painting is a southwestern landscape sunset oil painting measuring about 21 x 25 inches.

If you see the art being sold at any pawn shops, online or find it thrown away in the trash, Rock-Garden says he would love to get it back.