Bugatti CEO Mate Rimac's Chiron stolen after keys left in
Bugatti CEO Mate Rimac's personal Chiron was stolen from a company factory in Croatia after he left the keys inside. An unauthorized man drove the hypercar off campus and was later arrested in Austria. Covering bugatti ceo mate rimac8217s fallout, Rimac declined to press charges, though authorities may still prosecute.
Key Takeaways
- Rimac's Chiron was taken from a Croatian factory after he left the keys inside an unlocked car.
- He tracked the hypercar with onboard telemetry and chased it in a Porsche 911 toward the Slovenian border.
- The suspect was arrested in Austria after stopping for gas he did not pay for.
- Rimac declined to press charges but said he will stop leaving keys in his cars.
How was Bugatti CEO Mate Rimac's Chiron stolen?
According to Robb Report, Rimac revealed that his personal Chiron was stolen from one of his company's factories in Croatia earlier this week. The Bugatti Rimac CEO, who took charge of Bugatti in 2021 at age 33, said he "always" leaves his keys in his cars because Croatia is "super super safe."
That habit covers his Chiron, his Nevera, and other vehicles he drives. Rimac said he is in and out of meetings all day, so leaving the keys lets colleagues move the hypercars when needed. On Wednesday, that practice backfired when an unauthorized person walked onto the campus, entered the unlocked seven-figure Chiron, and drove away.
A factory worker spotted the theft and alerted Rimac. Once it was clear the driver was not a colleague, police were called. Rimac later shared a second Instagram video showing the thief approaching the car and getting in when no one appeared to be watching.
How did police catch the thief in Austria?
Rimac did not wait on the sidelines. Using the Chiron's onboard telemetry and a Porsche 911 he had on hand, he set off after the stolen hypercar as it sped toward the Slovenian border. He shared location, speed, and fuel-level data with authorities.
Officers eventually caught up with the man in Austria shortly after he stopped for gas—and left without paying. At the police station, after Rimac proved the Chiron was his, he met the thief face to face.
Why did Mate Rimac decline to press charges?
The man told Rimac he had come to the factory looking for a job. After spotting the Chiron with its keys inside, he decided to steal it and drive to Germany instead. Rimac said he was annoyed that the suspect tried to shift some blame onto him—"like it was my fault"—but still declined to press charges.
That does not end the legal risk. Because of the Chiron's value, the man will still likely be prosecuted by authorities in Croatia and Austria. Rimac also said he will no longer leave his keys in his cars going forward.
For more premium lifestyle coverage, explore Luxury Real Estate & Dream Homes on BlasterPost. Rimac shared the full account with his roughly one million Instagram followers in a five-minute video posted Thursday.