Predrag Kojadinović, who according to media reports stole at least 180 vehicles, has been given a non-final sentence of one year in prison for his latest stunt involving a Čazmatrans bus.
The Municipal Court in Virovitica has handed down a non-final sentence of one year in prison to 58-year-old Predrag Kojadinović from Veliki Grđevac near Bjelovar. The reason is the latest in a series of his unusual thefts, when in September 2024 he took a Čazmatrans bus and drove a group of people out for drinks, as reported by journalist Stjepko Gambiroža.
Kojadinović has long been known in the Podravina region as a serial thief of buses and trucks. He allegedly stole his first bus back in 1986, shortly after turning 18. According to media reports, profit was rarely his motive; he simply wanted to drive buses. Over the years, he would steal vehicles, drive them, and then abandon them, sometimes even giving rides to passengers or selling tickets.
It all started on September 21, 2024, around 10 p.m. Kojadinović had earlier spotted a Čazmatrans bus in Virovitica with the key still in the ignition, which allowed him to take it. He then entered a bar in Stari Gradac near Pitomača, claimed to be the bus driver, and invited several patrons to let him drive them to Okrugljača for drinks.
He had two rounds of drinks with the group, after which they all boarded the bus again. Visibly intoxicated, Kojadinović reversed the bus, and the rear end slid down a ditch embankment, leaving him unable to continue. A man with a tractor helped pull the bus out, but no one was willing to continue riding with the person who had invited them for drinks.
Kojadinović then continued alone toward the Podravska magistrala road and left the vehicle in Turnašica. The incident caused damage to the bus's windows, fenders, side panels, doors, and ignition lock, rendering the vehicle unfit for use.
The next day, the police launched an investigation. Interestingly, no usable fingerprints were found on the vehicle, but officers did discover Kojadinović's mobile phone, bank card, and personal documents inside the bus. Although the convicted man claimed he had not driven the bus, witnesses identified him, and the court rejected his defense that an acquaintance had previously left his belongings on the seat.
By 2024, Kojadinović had more than 50 final convictions, including 15 for unauthorized use of another person's movable property. Although most cases were never proven, media reports suggest he stole at least 180 buses, trucks, and cars over his lifetime.
