Get you up to speed: Builders find hoard of gold worth £7,600,000 hidden in house walls | News World
Builders in Dendermonde, Belgium, discovered gold worth an estimated £7.6 million during renovations on a property owned by welfare organisation CAW Oost-Vlaanderen. The gold, consisting of bars and coins, has been handed to police, who are investigating to identify the rightful owner.
An investigation by the local prosecutor is seeking to establish the origins of the gold and identify its rightful owner, a process which could take years. Under Belgian law, the original owner has five years to claim the treasure; if unclaimed, it may be divided between the builders and the welfare organisation CAW Oost-Vlaanderen.
Local officials have expressed surprise at the discovery of £7.6 million in gold, with CAW Oost-Vlaanderen’s director Geert Hillaert hoping the treasure could support the charity’s initiatives. An investigation by the local prosecutor is underway to trace the gold’s origin, with a five-year window for claims, while police have cautioned against treasure hunting at the construction site.
What remains unclear — It is uncertain how long the investigation will take to determine the rightful owner of the gold discovered in Dendermonde.
Builders uncover £7.6 million in gold hidden within walls of Belgian property
Builders were stunned after discovering the treasure inside a property in Dendermonde, Belgium (Picture: Police Dendermonde/Cover Media)
Builders renovating a property were stunned after discovering gold worth an estimated £7.6million hidden inside its walls.
The haul of gold bars and coins was uncovered as workers drilled into the foundations of the building in Dendermonde, Belgium, while installing new sewage pipes.
Among the crew was 18-year-old student Kobe, who was working a summer job.
He initially thought the coins were ordinary €1 pieces before spotting what appeared to be a gold nugget.
Kobe told Belgian broadcaster VRT: ‘Our first reaction was actually disbelief, amazement.
‘At first I thought they were €1 coins. But then we also saw a gold nugget lying there. That’s when we realised it was something bigger.’
An investigation is underway to try to track down the original owner (Picture: Police Dendermonde/Cover Media)
The haul, reportedly worth around €9million (£7.6million), was handed to police.
Site manager Mario said: ‘There are so many coins and bars – it would be almost impossible.
‘Besides, that would be theft.’
Kobe added: ‘€9million – you simply can’t keep that hidden.’
The property in East Flanders is owned by welfare organisation CAW Oost-Vlaanderen.
Director Geert Hillaert said his reaction was ‘surprise and amazement’ and hopes the treasure could eventually help fund the charity’s work and meet the ‘enormous need we experience daily’.
But exactly who will end up with the fortune could take years to establish.
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The incredible haul included coins as well as gold bars (Picture: Police Dendermonde/Cover Images)
The local prosecutor has launched an investigation to discover where the gold came from and identify its rightful owner.
Under Belgian law, an owner has five years to come forward and claim the treasure.
If nobody does, hidden treasure found on someone else’s property can be divided between the finder and the property owner – potentially leaving the builders and charity in line for a huge windfall.
However, that would not apply if the gold is found to be linked to criminal activity.
Police have warned would-be treasure hunters to stay away from the construction site, saying it has already been thoroughly searched and the gold moved to a secure location.
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