Renovators found $10 million in the walls. If they wait 5 years, they might be rich

Construction workers renovating a building in Belgium discovered 49 gold bars and 4,000 coins in the basement walls, worth an estimated €9 million. Police are investigating the origin of the hoard, and under Belgian law, if the owners or heirs are not found within five years, the treasure will be split equally between the workers and the property owner – a charity for the homeless.

Construction workers renovating a building in the town of Dendermonde in East Flanders, Belgium, discovered a hoard of 49 gold bars and 4,000 coins in the basement walls, worth an estimated €9 million ($10 million). The find occurred last Tuesday as workers drilled into the wall to install new sewage pipes. They reported the find to the site manager, Mario, who called his superiors, who instructed him to report it to the police. The police collected the loot and moved it to a safe place. Under Belgian law, the owners or legal heirs have five years to claim the gold; if none are found, the treasure will be split equally between the finders and the property owner – a charity that helps the homeless. The building was once a brewery built in the 1890s by Theophile Van Esch, and closed in 1970. His three children left no heirs, and the property was transferred in 1982 to a Benedictine monastery. Three people have contacted the police claiming a connection to the hoard, and their claims will be examined.