Builders uncover £7.5m gold hoard hidden inside cellar walls in Belgium
Stunned builders stumbled upon a hidden £7.5million gold haul stashed inside the walls of a cellar – and admitted they were very tempted to keep it.
A trove of gold coins and ingots were found bricked into a cellar wall at a former brewery the crew were renovating in northern Belgium.
The building crew had been carrying out run-of-the-mill groundworks to lay a pipe for the sewer system before the eye-watering discovery.
Kobe, an 18-year-old working on the site, told VRT news: “At first I thought they were €1 coins.
“Our first reaction was actually disbelief, amazement. We certainly hadn’t expected to find gold.”
When they removed sections of the foundations, the builders quickly realised the mountain of gold they had discovered.
Site manager Mario said: “They shouted: ‘We’ve found gold!’ I went to have a look and picked up the gold.
“We kept digging up more coins and bars. Only then did it really sink in what we’d found. It was a strange feeling.”
Asked whether they’d considered keeping the stash for themselves, Mario said: “There are so many coins and bars; it would be almost impossible.
“Besides, that would be theft.”
Kobe said: “Of course, we did briefly consider keeping it. But it’s simply too much money.
“If it were a few thousand euros, it might be feasible. But €9million (£7.5m) – you simply can’t keep that hidden.
The crew quickly notified police and their client, a charity called CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, about the find.
Cops have launched a probe into how the treasure ended up in the building.
Many of the gold bars are reportedly stamped around 1957 to 1961.
Geert Hillaert, director of CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, said police would have to establish whether the hoard was linked to criminal activity.
He added that it may take many years to locate the true owners.
Geert said: “For all we know, this discovery is the result of some kind of fraudulent activity and the gold has been hidden there.”
If the gold does eventually go to the charity, Geert said it would be “a very welcome gift” to help the “enormous need” they face every day.
He said: “We will create additional capacity for our target group across the whole of East Flanders,” referring to the homeless.
Kobe said that he hopes there might be a finder’s fee for him and his colleagues.
Mario said: “After 33 years in the construction industry, this is the first time I’ve experienced anything like this.
“I don’t think it will ever happen again.”
Gold hunters have meanwhile been warned to “stay away” from the building by police.
Cop Patrick Feys said: “After the treasure was found, the whole site was turned upside down. We’re certain there’s nothing left to find.”
He warned that, as the building was being demolished, it would be dangerous for people to crowd around the site.
Head of Investigations
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