Police in Hong Kong have asked for the public’s help in recovering HK$15 million that was scattered across a road after an accident involving a cash transport vehicle Dec. 24. Apparently the door of the transport van malfuntioned and allowed a few cash boxes to fall out, according to the report.

Some drivers and pedestrians who saw the accident helped themselves to a few bundles, from the millions of dollars in bundled HK$500 bank notes that were strewn across Gloucester Road.

The HK$500 notes are the equivalent of $65 U.S. dollars, according to a story published online by the South China Morning Post.

“I would like to take the opportunity to appeal to every member of the public that if they picked up any money to handover to any police officer or any police station as soon as possible,” Hong Kong police superintendent Wan Siu-hong said.

“If he or she keeps the money for his own use, he may commit an offence of theft which is a very serious crime under ordinance," he said.

The van in the accident was transporting a total HK$525 million in cash, packed in cash boxes, police said. Each cash box contained HK$17.5 million.

Of the HK$35 million that was spilled in the accident, some HK$20 million has been retrieved, according to the police.

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