Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, found himself in an extraordinary situation when his personal Bugatti Chiron hypercar was stolen from the grounds of one of the company’s factories in Croatia. The reason was almost comical: the executive had left the keys inside the car because he was used to not having to worry about security in his home country, Robb Report writes.
The 38-year-old entrepreneur shared the story with his million Instagram followers. In a five-minute video, he admitted that he routinely leaves the keys in his cars, whether it is his Chiron, the electric Nevera hypercar or any other vehicle he drives.
According to Rimac, Croatia is a “very, very safe country,” so he had never considered this a problem. Company executives also frequently move between meetings, and leaving the keys inside makes it easier for employees to move the expensive cars around whenever necessary.
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But last Wednesday, the habit came back to haunt him. An unidentified man entered the factory grounds, spotted the unlocked Chiron with the keys inside, got behind the wheel and drove away. An employee witnessed what was happening and alerted management. When it became clear that the driver was not a colleague, the police were called.
Rimac, however, did not simply wait for the investigation to unfold. Using the stolen hypercar’s onboard telemetry system and his own Porsche 911, he set out to track down the vehicle, which was speeding toward the Slovenian border.
The telemetry system allowed him to monitor the car’s location, speed and fuel level. Rimac passed the information on to the police, helping officers establish the thief’s route.
The man was eventually arrested in Austria, shortly after stopping at a gas station. Notably, he had failed to pay for the fuel as well.
Later, at the police station, Rimac confirmed that the Chiron belonged to him and was able to speak to the suspect in person.
The man explained that he had entered the factory looking for a job. When he spotted the expensive hypercar with the keys inside, he decided to seize the opportunity, steal it and drive to Germany.
According to Rimac, the thief even tried to shift some of the blame for what had happened onto the owner himself.
Despite the incident, the entrepreneur said he had not asked for criminal charges to be brought against the man. That does not necessarily mean the suspect will escape punishment, however. Given the enormous value of the car, he is still likely to face legal proceedings in Croatia and Austria.
Rimac admitted that the incident had made him rethink a habit he had maintained for years. From now on, he says, he will no longer leave the keys inside his cars.
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