Mate reveals how his Bugatti worth three million euros was stolen: I saw it going towards Slovenia (VIDEO)
Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac disclosed details regarding the theft of his Bugatti Chiron, valued at approximately three million euros, which was recovered after an international police operation. Rimac admitted he had left the keys inside the vehicle, a practice he maintained due to a sense of security in Croatia and to facilitate work for employees who frequently move and test cars. The theft went initially unnoticed until a colleague recognized the suspect driving away, prompting Rimac to track the car via telemetry while personally pursuing it in a Porsche 911. The chase ended in Austria near Graz, where police arrested a 36-year-old Croatian national who confessed to stealing the car during a visit intended to seek employment. Although the vehicle sustained minor damage, Rimac stated he did not wish to pursue criminal charges against the individual, emphasizing relief that no one was injured.
Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac revealed on Thursday how his three million euro Bugatti Chiron was stolen from his company campus near Zagreb and subsequently recovered in Austria. Rimac stated in a video posted to social media that he had left the keys inside the vehicle, a habit he maintained for years due to a sense of security in Croatia and the need for employees to move cars for testing. The theft occurred on Wednesday, triggering an international police operation involving Croatian, Slovenian, and Austrian authorities. The car was located at a gas station in Austria later that evening, where a 36-year-old Croatian national was arrested and admitted to the crime. The incident took place at the Rimac Group headquarters in Sveta Nedjelja, a suburb of Zagreb. According to Rimac, the campus lacks high fences or strict perimeter security, which meant the disappearance of the car was not immediately obvious. Employees frequently use his vehicles for daily operations, including moving them around the facility and conducting tests. To facilitate this workflow, Rimac explained that he often left the ignition keys in the Bugatti Chiron, as well as in his other high-value vehicles such as the Nevera. He noted that he had done so for years without incident until Wednesday, when an unauthorized individual walked onto the property, entered the car, and drove away. Rimac said he did not notice the vehicle missing initially because staff members regularly drive his cars. The situation changed when someone recognized the suspect driving the Bugatti. This alert prompted Rimac’s team to check the location of the vehicle. They utilized the car’s built-in telemetric system, which transmits data to a server. The tracking data indicated that the vehicle was traveling toward Slovenia. Rimac contacted the police immediately after confirming the theft. While his associates coordinated with law enforcement, Rimac decided to pursue the car himself. He described being near his Porsche 911, which had a full tank of fuel. He started the engine and followed the Bugatti, noting that the thief already had a one-hour head start. During the chase, Rimac monitored the fuel level of the stolen Bugatti via its digital systems, hoping the driver would run out of gasoline. However, the suspect refueled during the journey and continued driving toward Austria. The pursuit ended on Wednesday shortly after 7:00 p.m. local time. Austrian police officers located the Bugatti at a service station along the A9 motorway near Seiersberg-Pirka, approximately ten kilometers southwest of Graz. The area falls within the Graz-Umgebung district. Police identified the vehicle because it had been flagged for search. Officers detained the driver, a 36-year-old Croatian citizen, at the scene. During questioning, the suspect fully confessed to stealing the car. He told investigators that he had originally gone to the Rimac campus to apply for a job. While there, he saw the Bugatti with the keys still inserted and decided to take it. His intended destination was Germany, according to unofficial information cited by Croatian newspaper 24sata. The suspect crossed the border into Austria from Slovenia at the Sentilj checkpoint. Authorities from all three countries collaborated on the recovery effort. Croatian police initiated the response, while Slovenian police assisted in tracking the vehicle through their territory. Austrian police made the final arrest. Following the detention, the criminal investigation unit of the Styrian State Criminal Police Office took over the case. Under orders from the public prosecutor’s office in Graz, a criminal complaint will be filed against the man. After paying bail, he was released on his own recognizance. Rimac met with the suspect at the police station following the arrest. The man explained his actions, reiterating that he had come seeking employment before deciding to steal the car. Despite the magnitude of the loss, Rimac expressed a desire not to personally pursue criminal prosecution against the individual. He stated that he hoped the person would be okay, although he acknowledged that competent authorities would handle the legal proceedings. The Bugatti sustained minor damage during the incident, but Rimac emphasized that he was more concerned that no one had been injured during the chase or the recovery. He thanked the police forces, specifically praising the Austrian officers for their role in locating the vehicle. In the concluding part of his statement, Rimac admitted that the experience served as a lesson. He announced that he would no longer leave keys in his vehicles, ending a long-standing practice rooted in his trust in the safety of his home country. The Bugatti Chiron is a high-performance sports car produced by Bugatti Rimac, a joint venture between the French manufacturer Bugatti and the Croatian company Rimac Group. Rimac serves as the founder and chief executive officer of Rimac Group. The specific model stolen is valued at approximately three million euros. It bore Zagreb registration plates. The recovery marked the end of a brief cross-border ordeal that spanned parts of Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria within a single day. The vehicle has since been returned to its owner.
Croatian police reported that a luxury Bugatti Chiron belonging to entrepreneur Mate Rimac was stolen in the Zagreb area on Wednesday. The vehicle, valued at approximately three million euros, was driven through Slovenia into Austria by a 36-year-old suspect who crossed the border at Sentilj. Police forces from Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria coordinated their search efforts, locating the car at a gas station near Seiersberg later that same day. Austrian authorities arrested the suspect at the scene, where he fully confessed to the theft during questioning. Prosecutors in Graz have filed criminal charges against him, and the vehicle has already been returned to Rimac, the founder of Rimac Group.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a specific criminal incident involving the theft of a private asset. While the victim is a prominent business figure associated with high-profile automotive ventures, the narrative focuses strictly on the law enforcement operation, the cross-border cooperation between agencies
Why factuality (98): This article is highly accurate and concise. It cites specific sources (Croatian newspaper 24sata, Austrian police) for its claims. All details match the consensus: value (~3M EUR), location (near Zagreb/Sveta Nedelja), route (via Sentilj border crossing to Austria), recovery time (after 19:00), loc
Why objectivity (95): Extremely neutral and professional tone. It sticks to the facts without embellishment. The structure is standard news reporting: lead, body, conclusion. No adjectives that imply judgment beyond what is necessary for description (e.g., 'luxury car'). It presents the police actions and legal steps obj
A 36-year-old Croatian national was arrested in Austria after stealing a Bugatti Chiron worth three million euros belonging to Matej Rimac, founder of Rimac Group and CEO of Bugatti Rimac. The vehicle was stolen on Wednesday afternoon in the area of Sveta Nedelja near Zagreb, Croatia. The suspect fled through Slovenia into Austria, where police located the car at a gas station on the A9 motorway near Seiersberg, approximately ten kilometers southwest of Graz, later that same day. Austrian and Slovenian authorities collaborated to track down the vehicle, which was reportedly intended for Germany. The suspect confessed to the theft during questioning by the Styrian Criminal Police Department and was released on bail after being charged by the Graz Public Prosecutor's Office. The recovered car has been returned to its owner.
Bias read (Center): The article reports on a specific criminal incident involving the theft of a luxury vehicle. While the victim is a prominent business figure associated with high-profile automotive companies, the core subject matter is a property crime rather than a political debate, policy issue, or partisan event.
Why factuality (97): Accurate and detailed. Matches the consensus on all major points. It provides specific geographic details (Seiersberg, 10km SW of Graz) and legal specifics (bail paid, released). It explicitly cites Net.hr and 24sata. The detail about the suspect being released after paying bail is a specific factua
Why objectivity (95): Very objective. The writing style is straightforward and informative. It avoids sensationalizing the 'chase' aspect mentioned in Article 0, focusing instead on the police operation and legal outcome. The tone is detached and factual.
DeloIndependent🔒CenterFactual: no official source document/info detectedObjective 95
Croatian entrepreneur Matej Rimac had his Bugatti Chiron, valued at approximately three million euros, stolen in the Zagreb area on Wednesday. The vehicle was recovered the same day by Austrian police at a gas station near Seiersberg after being driven through Slovenia via the Sentilj border crossing. A 36-year-old Croatian man was arrested at the scene and admitted to the theft during questioning. According to unofficial reports, the suspect intended to drive the car to Germany. The Austrian authorities returned the vehicle to Rimac, who is the founder and CEO of the Rimac Group and leads the joint venture with Bugatti.
Bias read (Center): The article covers a straightforward criminal incident involving the theft and recovery of a luxury vehicle. While the victim is a prominent business figure involved in high-profile automotive ventures, the narrative focuses entirely on the logistical aspects of the crime, the international police,
Why factuality: no official source document/info detected
Why objectivity (95): Neutral and balanced. The language is plain and descriptive. It does not take sides or inject opinion. It simply reports the sequence of events and the official statements. Very similar in tone to Article 1.
Slovenske noviceIndependentCenterFactual: no official source document/info detectedObjective 90
Croatian entrepreneur Mate Rimac disclosed details regarding the theft of his Bugatti Chiron, valued at approximately three million euros, which was recovered after an international police operation. Rimac admitted he had left the keys inside the vehicle, a practice he maintained due to a sense of security in Croatia and to facilitate work for employees who frequently move and test cars. The theft went initially unnoticed until a colleague recognized the suspect driving away, prompting Rimac to track the car via telemetry while personally pursuing it in a Porsche 911. The chase ended in Austria near Graz, where police arrested a 36-year-old Croatian national who confessed to stealing the car during a visit intended to seek employment. Although the vehicle sustained minor damage, Rimac stated he did not wish to pursue criminal charges against the individual, emphasizing relief that no one was injured.
Bias read (Center): The article focuses on a specific corporate incident involving a prominent business figure and a high-value asset. While the narrative includes elements of personal responsibility and legal procedure, it does not engage with partisan politics, ideological debates, or public policy controversies. The
Why factuality: no official source document/info detected
Why objectivity (90): The tone is largely objective, presenting the events as they happened. However, the inclusion of direct quotes from Rimac ('I saw he was heading towards Slovenia', 'I pressed the gas pedal') gives the story a slightly more narrative, human-interest feel compared to the dry police reports in other ar
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