{
  "id": 2597388,
  "title": "Looking For the Owner: Builders Find US$10.5M Gold Stash Inside Belgian Property",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/looking-for-the-owner-builders-find-us-10-5m-gold-stash-inside",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-22T15:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Colombia One",
    "slug": "colombia-one",
    "url": "https://colombiaone.com/2026/08/22/builders-gold-stash-belgian-property/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde, Belgium, construction workers stumbled upon an impressive gold treasure while laying sewer pipes at a former brewery site. The haul, valued at around US$10.5 million, comprised 49 gold bars weighing approximately 1 kilogram each, along with over 4,000 gold coins. Among the excavation crew was 18-year-old Kobe Philips, a student participating in a summer construction job. Initially mistaking some objects for €1 coins, the workers soon recognized the gold bars and alerted authorities.\n\nBelgian police seized the gold and handed it over to a high-security government vault for safekeeping. Prosecutors are now examining the origin of the treasure, aiming to identify the original owner or determine if it was concealed illicitly. The brewery property, dating back to the late 19th century, was once owned by Theophil Van Assche, whose family operated the brewery from 1899 until 1970. However, this ownership does not automatically grant claim to the gold. The Van Assche family would need to provide evidence linking the cache to a former owner.\n\nCAW Oost-Vlaanderen, a social welfare organization developing the property into offices and residential units, could potentially claim the gold if it meets the legal criteria for ownership. The workers involved in the excavation, including Philips, might also have a case under Belgian law, depending on whether they can establish ownership or demonstrate that the gold was concealed without a rightful owner. The investigation will scrutinize the gold's history, dating, and any connections to criminal activity, ultimately determining its rightful claimant according to Belgian civil code regulations.",
  "summary": "Construction workers in Belgium found a gold stash valued at about US$10.5 million while installing sewer pipes at a former brewery property in Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Authorities said the discovery included 49 gold bars and more than 4,000 gold coins. Eight workers were involved in the excavation. Among them was 18-year-old Kobe Philips, […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}