In brief
During a renovation in east Flanders, builders uncovered a €9 million trove of gold bars and coins sealed in the cellar walls of a local charity‑run property. The find has prompted investigations and a five‑year legal window for owners to claim the treasure, with both builders and the charity vying for ownership. Police moved the loot to a secure location and warned the public against scavenging the site, while the charity hopes the riches could fund its welfare programmes. If no one claims the hoard, civil law would split it between finder and property owner unless it is linked to criminal activity.
While drilling for new sewage pipes in a house in east Flanders, construction workers uncovered a secret cavity filled with gold bars and coins worth roughly €9 million (£7.6 million). The hidden hoard was sealed inside the cellar walls of a property owned by the local charity CAW Oost‑Vlaanderen.
When the workers discovered the trove, they immediately alerted local police and acknowledged that keeping the gold for themselves was not an option. Police, who moved the loot to a secure location, also warned the public against visiting the construction site to search for more treasure.
"Our first reaction was disbelief and amazement," said 18‑year‑old worker Kobe, who had been working a summer job on the job. "At first I thought they were €1 coins, but then we saw a gold nugget – that’s when we realised it was something bigger.”
The property is owned by a welfare–support charity based in Dendermonde, a Flemish community of about 47 000 people. CAW Oost‑Vlaanderen’s director Geert Hillaert said he hoped the discovery could eventually fund the charity’s work, addressing the "enormous need" the organisation faces daily.
Under Belgian law, the rightful owner has five years to claim the hoard. If no claim is made, civil law dictates that the treasure would be divided between the finder and the property owner – this only applies if the loot is not linked to criminal activity. Both the builders and the charity now face a wait of up to 1 823 days for a claim to be submitted.
By 2026‑08‑14, local police had updated their Facebook profile picture to a gold coin and pledged that the discovery would “end up in the right place” and change people’s lives.
