In brief
When a team renovating a house in east Flanders hit a sealed wall, they uncovered a cache of gold bars and coins worth €9 million. The find has drawn attention from the local police, the property’s charity owner and the builders, provoking questions about rightful ownership under Belgian law. While the gold has been moved to a secure location, the charity hopes it might fund its welfare programmes, and the builders consider declaring it a prize they cannot keep. A case file has been opened and the law allows a finder and the property owner to share the treasure, but only if no one claims it within five years.
Belgian builders renovating a house in eastern Flanders have uncovered a cache of gold bars and coins tucked into a wall of the cellar, estimated to be worth €9 million (£7.6 m).
The discovery came while the crew was drilling for new sewer pipes. Workers were stunned when they began to see what looked like lots of silver coins at first, only to realise that hundreds of genuine gold bars lay buried behind plaster.
Lawyers have now opened an investigation. The site’s owner, a local charity called CAW Oost‑Vlaanderen, and the workers who found the vault both have a chance to claim the treasure. The police say the gold has already been moved to a secure facility.
Under Belgian law, if no one claims the find within five years, the finder can keep 50 % of the value while the remaining 50 % goes to the property owner – provided the find was not connected to criminal activity. The charity’s director, Geert Hillaert, said the hoard could help fund the organisation’s welfare work, while the workers are wary of the responsibilities that come with such a vast sum.
Police have warned the public against rummaging through the site in search of more treasure. The local force has updated its Facebook cover photo to a gold coin, and hopes the discovery will ultimately go to a good end.
