A Good Samaritan’s honesty is being praised by police and a local pizza shop owner in B.C. after he returned a box filled with thousands of dollars in cash destined for a children’s hospital.

Sukhwant Purewall, the general manager of Domino’s Pizza in New Westminster, B.C., told CTV Vancouver that staff at six of his restaurants raised nearly $1,600 to donate to the BC Children’s Hospital’s toy drive. He put the cash in six envelopes along with a few other items for the children in a box that he placed on the roof of his Jeep.

Forgetting about the box on top of his vehicle, Purewall drove away and the box with all of its contents tumbled off.

Sgt. Jeff Scott from New West Police said a man getting off a bus in the area discovered the box of cash and immediately called police. The other items in the box helped police trace the box’s rightful owner back to Domino’s and the cash was returned.

Thanks to the kindness of a stranger, Purewall said he donated the $1,600, which he matched, so that the BC Children’s Hospital will now have an additional $3,200 to spend during the holidays.

“This is the time of year where we certainly encourage good will,” Sgt. Scott said. “It's awesome to see this type of kindness being spread throughout the community.”

As for the unknown Good Samaritan, Purewall said he hopes to personally thank him by giving him some free pizzas.

“$1,600 cash. He could just walk away with it, but he prefers to call the cops,” Purewall said.

The police called the man’s good deed a “Christmas miracle” in a tweet posted on Tuesday.

With a report from CTV Vancouver’s Ben Miljure