Builders uncover gold loot sealed inside walls of Belgian property

Builders in Belgium made an astonishing discovery while working on a renovation project, uncovering a stash of gold worth about €9m sealed into the walls of the cellar.

The construction workers are now investigating where this treasure came from and coins while drilling to lay new sewage pipes in the property in east Flanders this week.

The recent discovery has fueled interest in who might get to keep the loot with both the builders and the local charity that owns the site claiming ownership.

In light of the major incident, an investigation has been launched and local police cautioned anyone hoping to go look for more treasure that the side had been turned upside down.

In this connection, its director, Geert Hillaert said his first reaction was “surprise and amazement.”

Local police encouraged the public not to visit the active construction site in search of treasure. The owner has five years to claim the hoard under Belgium law to launch an investigation.

The civil law underlines that hidden treasure on someone else's property is split equally between the finder and the property’s actual owner. The current decision is to wait up to 1,823 days for an owner to come forward; if no one moves forward to claim it, the finders will truly hit the jackpot.