Bugatti CEO Mate Rimac's $3M Chiron Stolen from Open Campus, Tracked Across Borders via Telemetry

In a striking case of opportunistic theft at a high-profile automotive facility, Bugatti and Rimac CEO Mate Rimac revealed that his personal Bugatti Chiron, valued around €3 million, was stolen from the company's campus near Zagreb, Croatia, on October 28, 2026. The thief, a 36-year-old Croatian national who had reportedly arrived seeking employment, spotted the keys left inside the vehicle in an unsecured outdoor area and drove off. Rimac, who had long left keys in cars due to Croatia's perceived safety, used the Chiron's onboard telemetry to track its real-time location, speed, and fuel levels as it headed toward Slovenia and then Austria. He pursued in his Porsche 911 while coordinating with police across Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria. Austrian authorities apprehended the suspect at a petrol station near Seiersberg in Styria shortly after 7 p.m., recovering the car with minor damage. Rimac met the thief at the station, where the man claimed the keys' visibility prompted the act, and expressed reluctance to press charges given the suspect's circumstances, though authorities proceeded due to the vehicle's value. This incident highlights vulnerabilities in open corporate campuses despite advanced vehicle tracking, prompting Rimac to vow stricter key security. It underscores how telemetry systems can enable rapid international recovery but also raises questions about balancing accessibility with perimeter security at luxury manufacturers.