SEATTLE - A young woman is hurting after a thief stole her car. But it's not her missing wheels she's worried about -- it's the precious Native American regalia that was inside her car.

As her family performed the traditional dances of their Tsimshian Tribe Saturday, Amanda Brown sat and watched the steps she knows so well.

"Anybody who knows me here knows that I love to dance and I'm not going to be able to today," Brown said.

She is not dancing because hours before the Native American celebration, somebody stole Amanda's car from a mall parking lot. There were Christmas presents inside -- and something far more precious: The robe, the dress, the apron and moccasins hand-sewn by her grandmother.

"I'm so proud of it," Brown said. "And to have it taken away is really hard."

Amanda's mother, also a dancer, has this plea for the car thief who discovers the regalia:

"They can take the Christmas gifts," Cindy James said. "But if they can please leave this with the car when they abandon it...please don't take it."

Donations from other tribes are helping Amanda replace the stolen Christmas gifts.

"It feels good to have people who care," she said.

Still, Amanda can't help but wonder, "where my stuff is sitting...where it could be...if I'm ever going to get it back."

Amanda is not giving up hope. Her car is a 1998 white Acura Integra with Washington plates. It was reported stolen from the Northgate Mall parking lot on the Macy's side.

Anybody who thinks they have information that can help recover her regalia is asked to please call Seattle police.