Renovation works on a property in Belgium led to the discovery of a treasure estimated at around 9 million euros.
Të lidhura
None found
Gold bars and coins were found in a building in East Flanders, as builders hired to restore the sewage pipes were demolishing the basement walls and working on the building’s foundations.
Kobe, a student who was among the workers, told Belgian public broadcaster VRT that the discovery was initially met with disbelief and surprise.
He said that at first he thought they were 1-euro coins, but after seeing a piece of gold as well, the workers realized they had come across something much more significant.
The young student and the site manager declared that they could not keep the find a secret, so they decided to notify the police.
The building is currently owned by CAW Oost-Vlaanderen, an organization that provides social support in Dedmonton, a Flemish community of approximately 47,000 inhabitants.
The director of the organization, Gert Hillaert, described his initial reaction as ‘surprise’. He expressed hope that the gold could be used to support charitable activities and to respond to ‘the great need we experience every day’.
The discovery also raised the question of who the treasure belongs to. If the lawful owner is not identified, both the contractors and the local charity that owns the property may have the right to claim it.
According to Belgian law, the lawful owner has five years to claim the treasure. The local prosecutor has opened an investigation, but stated that it is still unknown who might be its owner.
If no one comes forward within the deadline, civil law provides that a treasure hidden on another person’s property is to be divided between the finder and the property owner, even if it is proven that the wealth is not linked to criminal activity.
The police changed their Facebook profile picture to an image of a gold coin. They said they hoped the treasure would end up in ‘the right place’, while warning potential gold hunters that the wealth had been moved to a secure location.
The builders and the charity must now wait up to 1,823 days to see if the owner will come forward.
