BERLIN (Reuters) - Passers-by in the western German city of Darmstadt could not believe their luck when a retiree came out of a bank with 13,000 euros (US$16,700) and started handing out the cash, authorities said Wednesday.

"He sat down on a bench outside the bank from which he'd just withdrawn the money, and started giving it away," said Darmstadt police spokesman Dieter Wuest.

Police intervened after locals had alerted them to the charitable 63-year-old, who had by then given away 1,505 euros of the money he had stuffed in plastic bags and his trousers.

"He said he didn't care because he had plenty of cash," said Wuest. "He'd had a bit to drink and was in a good mood."

Officers confiscated the remaining cash and told the man to collect it when he had sobered up.

"He hasn't come back for it yet," said Wuest.