On Tuesday, the Bruges Criminal Court found three workers guilty of stealing and selling gold coins, estimated to be worth €240,000, that they found in a house in Bruges during demolition work.
The charges were filed in late June 2025, following a lengthy investigation.
The incident happened in October 2019 in a house in Bruges. F.M., 46, from Zedelgem and his assistants, T.D., 46, from Ypres and P.K., 50, from Oostkamp, found a pot of gold coins in a hidden space under the cellar.
The former owners of the house were unaware of the coins and filed a complaint after rumours about a bag of jewellery being found. The men quickly confessed to finding the coins.
Later investigation revealed that F.M. sold 12 South African Krugerrand coins and 55 coins worth 50 Belgian ECU for €52,000 in Antwerp. The second defendant sold his coins for €30,000, which he spent on cars and gambling. The third worker received one coin and €2,000.
In late June, when the case went to court, the former owners demanded €240,000 in damages as the gold had since increased in value. However, no sentence was handed down because the investigation took too long. The discussions about the exact amount of compensation will be held on 18 November.
