Belgian Builders Discover €9 Million Gold Hoard Sealed in Property Walls

Sun Sep 06 2026 04:32:27 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Renovators struck a hidden stash of gold in a Belgium property, sparking a legal dispute as charity and workers fight over ownership.

While drilling for new sewage pipes, builders on a property in east Flanders uncovered a trove of gold bars and coins worth roughly €9 million. The hoard was found in the cellar’s walls, and the property is owned by CAW Oost‑Vlaanderen, a local welfare charity. Both the construction crew and the charity are now candidates to claim the gold under Belgian law, which allows a finder a five‑year window to register ownership. Police have moved the loot to a secure location and warned the public against loitering at the site. If no claimant emerges, the treasure could be shared between finder and owner after a legal review.

Belgian Builders Discover €9 Million Gold Hoard Sealed in Property Walls

Renovators on a house renovation in east Flanders were stunned when a drill broke through a wall in the cellar and revealed a cache of gold bars and coins worth roughly €9 million (£7.6 million). The property, owned by the welfare charity CAW Oost‑Vlaanderen, was being repaired to accommodate new sewage lines when the discovery was made.

The work was carried out by a small crew that included an 18‑year‑old intern named Kobe. He explained that his first reaction was disbelief: "At first I thought they were €1 coins. Then I saw a gold nugget and realised it was something much larger," he told Belgium’s public broadcaster VRT.

Both the builders and the charity now face a legal claim. Under Belgian treasure‑trove law, anyone who finds hidden loot can register it, but the rightful owner has a maximum of five years to claim the cache. If no one asserts ownership, a court may decide how the finders and property owner share the gold, provided it was not connected to criminal activity.

Police moved the haul to a secure location and issued a public warning against trespassing at the construction site. The local prosecutor has opened an investigation, but it remains unclear whether the gold will belong to the charity, the builders, or another party.

CAW Oost‑Vlaanderen’s director, Geert Hillaert, expressed hope that the treasure could benefit the charity’s programs for the disadvantaged in Dendermonde, a city of about 47,000 residents. "We are surprised and amazed," he said, adding, "We hope the loot can help us meet the enormous needs we face daily."

The case has captured national curiosity, and the police have updated their Facebook profile picture to a gold coin, hoping the discovery will end up in the right hands and change lives.

Image of gold bars and coins recovered by local police, from the Belgian property.

If no claimant appears within the statutory period, the treasure may be divided between the finder and the property owner, according to civil law. The outcome will hinge on the investigation’s findings and the legal interpretations of treasure‑trove statutes.