As Domenico Santino DiPasquale showed up for work Friday morning, he was met with a pleasant surprise.

The iconic DiPasquale’s sign that was stolen the previous night from the front of the building on Gough Street was returned.

“Just like yesterday, I was doing my daily routine, I walk in the store and one of my employees said, ‘Hey, the sign was outside when I got here and I brought it in,’ ” Domenico said. “I thought they were joking at first and then it was just there.”

Domenico does not know who returned the sign and a Hess truck parked outside the market obstructed the security cameras.

Domenico first noticed the sign was missing on Thursday. He immediately called his father and the owner, Joe DiPasquale, and checked security cameras from the market and a neighbor’s house to see if he could identify who stole the sign, which is valued at between $1,000 and $2,000.

He only saw a solo figure taking the sign. Domenico posted images on social media in the hope that someone would help get the sign back.

“I bet everyone is going to come together to find this thing,” Domenico said at the time.

He now thinks the media attention surrounding the theft might have led to its return.

“The power of the people,” Domenico said.

DiPasquale’s has been in business in Baltimore since 1914.

In addition to Highlandtown, the market has three other locations in Brewer’s Hill, Harborview and at Mastellone Deli & Wine Shop on Harford Road.

Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com.