In brief
During a routine renovation in East Flanders, builders uncovered a hidden cache of gold bars and coins worth an estimated €9 million inside a cellar wall. The find has prompted an investigation and sparked debate over whether the charity owning the property, or the workers who found the loot, should claim ownership. Belgian law allows a finder to share with the property owner if no claimant surfaces within five years, but the stake is immense and no one has yet come forward. The police have moved the treasure to a secure location and warned the public to keep away from the site.
While rehabbing a house in East Flanders, a team of builders stumbled upon a hidden gold stash sealed into the walls of the cellar. The cache includes bars and thousands of coins and is estimated to be worth around €9 million.
The workers were drilling to lay new sewage pipes when they found the trove. They immediately notified the local police and clarified that the idea of keeping it for themselves was not an option.
Both the builders and the owner of the property – CAW Oost‑Vlaanderen, a welfare charity – have a chance of claiming the gold. Belgian law gives founders a five‑year window to stand up for the loot, after which the owner of the site and the finder must share it unless no claim is made.
The police have transferred the loot to a secure storage facility and issued a warning to the public not to search for additional treasure at the site. The local prosecutor has opened an investigation into how the gold was concealed.
The head of CAW Oost‑Vlaanderen, Geert Hillaert, said he was "surprised and amazed" when he first heard about the find. He hopes the money will eventually help the charity’s operations and alleviate the "enormous need" the organization faces every day.
In the meantime, the site remains under police supervision, and the story has attracted national attention as media outlets pick apart the mystery of how such a treasure was hidden for decades.
