It was like pennies from heaven. Make that bills and blow.

Residents of a Sarnia, Ont., apartment building were surprised to see a safe fall from a third storey window on Friday, and even more surprised when it broke open, spilling cash and drugs on the ground.

Police say they were executing drug search warrants at the building when suspects in one of the apartments threw a safe from a bedroom window.

"When it hit the ground, it burst open," said Staff Sgt. Doug Warn. "It was very windy and the money was just going everywhere. Residents in the building came out and saw this and went, 'Wow!'" Three residents from the building began grabbing up $20, $50 and $100 bills, as well as an assortment of baggies filled with crack cocaine and powder cocaine.

Initially, they tried to hide the cash and drugs from police but changed their minds. "We were able to determine who they were and they decided it was in their best interest to give it to us," Warn said.

The cash totalled $14,000 and the drugs had a street value worth about $8,500.

Two of the three grabbing up the contraband were not arrested. However, the third was an occupant of one of the two apartments being searched. He and four others face charges of drug trafficking and possession.