Italian holiday turns sour for Franco Colapinto after car robbery in Como
Franco Colapinto’s summer break in Italy took an unpleasant turn when his car was robbed in Como. The Alpine driver shared on social media that thieves emptied his vehicle, stealing suitcases, clothes, and even his beloved mate kit, a traditional South American infusion he always carries.
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This incident understandably upset the 23-year-old, but one of his initial social media comments quickly sparked controversy among some Italian followers.
Colapinto robbed in Como: “They didn’t even leave the mate”
Colapinto himself detailed the theft, posting photos from his vacation. “Last shots of my clothes, the mate, and so on. I hope whoever has them enjoys them!” he wrote with irony.
According to Colapinto, his car was fully emptied. In addition to his luggage and personal items, thieves took his mate kit, a traditional South American drink preparation set strongly associated with his image in the paddock.
Shortly after, Colapinto added a comment that caused more noise: “Who would have thought Italians would steal everything from a South American? They didn’t even leave the mate kit, and I’m sure they won’t like it either.”
This reference to “Italians” did not sit well with some followers, prompting numerous critical responses under his post. The generalization was clearly avoidable, especially since the theft reflects individual criminals’ behavior, not a nationality. Colapinto later edited his message, replacing “Italians” with “Europeans”, and responded to some users, trying to ease tensions with humor.
Colapinto: “Never happened to me, even in Argentina”
The Alpine driver expressed surprise at the scale of the theft. Replying to comments, he emphasized that even in Argentina, he had never experienced having his car completely stripped of personal belongings. “Who’d have thought Europeans could steal everything from a Latino…” he joked.
His frustration is understandable. Colapinto was spending part of his summer break at Lake Como. Judging by the photos he shared, his vacation until then had been very enjoyable.
An intriguing detail adds another layer to the story: Colapinto holds Italian citizenship and has roots in Italy. Born in Pilar, Buenos Aires, to a Ukrainian mother and Argentine father, his paternal family comes from Italy. His great-grandfather was originally from Bari and emigrated to Argentina after earning a medical degree at the University of Naples.
Thus, his stay at Lake Como was in a country he is deeply connected to through his heritage. Unfortunately, his holiday will be remembered mainly for the theft of his car and his mate kit, now in the hands of someone who, as Colapinto joked, probably has no idea what to do with it.
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