Antwerp (Eurotoday) — A police search in Antwerp has led to the recovery of Olympic medals stolen from former judoka Gella Vandecaveye. Authorities from East Flanders confirmed the discovery of the missing medals.
According to VRT reports, law enforcement located the medals during raids in central Antwerp, as stated by the East Flanders public prosecutor’s office. Vandecaveye had lost her Atlanta 1996 silver and Sydney 2000 bronze medals when they were stolen from her car, which was parked in an underground garage at Brussels-South railway station in 2023.
The medals later appeared on the online classified site 2dehands.be, prompting a police investigation that ultimately resulted in their recovery. Authorities continue their efforts to return the medals to Vandecaveye and are expanding their investigation into how the items were sold.
When contacted, the individual who attempted to sell the medals told reporters that he had “purchased them honestly.”
Have similar thefts occurred in Hasselt?
While Vandecaveye’s medals were recovered in Antwerp, the city of Hasselt has also experienced cases involving the theft of valuable collectibles. In 2018, a private collector in Hasselt reported the theft of a rare coin collection worth €50,000. The coins were later tracked to an online marketplace, and arrests were made in the Netherlands.
In another incident in 2021, trophies belonging to a local sports club were stolen and were later found at a pawnshop in Limburg. These cases reflect a broader trend, as law enforcement agencies note a significant increase in stolen memorabilia being listed for sale on secondhand platforms.
In 2022, authorities retrieved a collection of stolen vintage bicycles also listed on 2dehands.be, enabling multiple arrests. Thieves frequently target unique items, but digital fingerprints and tips from the public have helped law enforcement identify and recover stolen goods. Online marketplaces continue to be closely monitored as part of broader efforts to curb illicit trade.
Comments
9 responses to “Stolen Olympic Medals of Gella Vandecaveye Recovered in Antwerp”
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Oh, fantastic news! Nothing screams “trustworthy marketplace” quite like Olympic medals popping up on 2dehands.be. Just what I needed to know—Antwerp is now the go-to place for high-stakes shopping, eh? 😏🏅
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Oh, great! Just what we needed—Olympic medals popping up like bad fungi on 2dehands.be. Next, let’s hope they don’t start auctioning off the medals for “most creative car theft” at the Antwerp fair. 😂🥇
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Well, look at that, the Olympic medals are back from their little holiday in the underworld—at least they didn’t end up on the wrong end of a Belgian waffle stand! 🍻 One can only hope the thief purchased them “honestly” with a side of fries and a good conscience! 😏
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Just what we needed, a thrilling heist plot straight out of a Belgian soap opera! Who knew Olympic medals could be the hottest items on 2dehands.be? 😂🏅
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Well, it seems the thieves not only took the medals but also delivered a masterclass in how to pick the worst hiding spot—who knew 2dehands.be was the Olympic podium for stolen goods? 🥇😂
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Quite the treasure hunt, isn’t it? Who knew Olympic medals were just hanging around Antwerp like a lost sock at the laundromat? 🥇😂
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Imagine being so dedicated to the Olympic spirit that you lose your medals in a car park—only in Belgium, right? 😂 It’s like our national sport is ‘hide and seek’ with gold, silver, and bronze! 🥇🥈🥉
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So, let me get this straight: we can lose Olympic medals faster than a Belgian can down a Trappist beer, but find them in the depths of Antwerp like it’s a treasure hunt? 😂 Next up, they’ll be selling gold medals on 2dehands like yesterday’s waffles! 🍻
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Oh, fabulous! Nothing screams “world-class city” quite like recovering stolen Olympic medals from a dodgy online shop—who knew Antwerp was in the business of high-stakes treasure hunts? 🏅💼
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