An extraordinary discovery has been made during renovation works on a building in Saint-Gilles-lez-Termonde, in East Flanders, Belgium, where workers found a large amount of gold hidden in a wall.
The incident occurred on Monday, August 10, while workers were installing pipes in the basement of the building. During the work, they discovered a box hidden inside the wall. When they opened it, they found gold nuggets, coins, and numbered bars.
According to an initial estimate cited by Belgian media, the value of the treasure could reach around 9 million euros.
The building is owned by CAW East Flanders and is currently undergoing a complete renovation to be converted into, among other things, studio and office space.
The contractor immediately notified the building owner and then the police. The local police chief, Patrick Face, confirmed the discovery of a significant amount of gold.
Authorities have now launched an investigation to discover the origin of the gold and its owner. One of the main clues is whether the treasure could be linked to any past criminal activity.
If that possibility is ruled out, investigators will try to identify the legal owner or his heirs. The process could take several more years, according to representatives of the organization that owns the building.
The gold has been handed over to the competent authorities in Brussels, where it is being held under strict security measures, while the investigation into one of the most unusual discoveries made during renovation work in Belgium continues.