Renovation crew finds €9mn gold stash in Belgian cellar
A routine renovation in Belgium has turned into something closer to a treasure hunt after workers discovered a safe packed with gold inside a cellar wall. The haul, which includes coins, nuggets and small bars, is estimated to be worth more than €9 million.
Workers renovating the building for a local social organisation made the discovery at the former Brouwershuis brewery in the town of Sint-Gillis-Dendermonde, East Flanders. A concealed safe was uncovered while laying pipes in the basement, Belgian news outlet RTL reported.
The contents included a considerable quantity of gold in the form of coins, nuggets, and numbered miniature bars. Instead of anyone trying to retire early, the workers informed the client, and the police were called in shortly after.
While investigators are trying to determine the gold’s origin and identify any potential claimants, it has been transferred to a specialised facility in Brussels. How long the safe had been concealed in the building and its exact history are both unknown.
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The nine-million question
Prosecutors in East Flanders are looking into whether the treasure could be linked to past criminal activity, while ownership may ultimately become a civil matter if no such link is found.
CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, which owns the building, is not counting its windfall yet. Its director, Geert Hillaert, said the organisation was aware that the gold might have a questionable origin. If it were eventually allowed to keep the money, however, the social organisation has suggested it could use some of it to expand support for homeless people.
For now, the renovation continues – only with one rather more interesting wall than anyone expected.
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