School security guards at George Washington University in the District of Columbia have warned students not to wear Canada Goose coats to help them evade thieves who are targeting the wearers of the expensive winter coats.
A recent spate of robberies in the crime-infested capital of the US has affected individuals wearing the signature down jackets in neighborhoods around the city.
Two of those thefts occurred in areas adjacent to GW’s campus, prompting school officials to warn the school’s students to be on high alert.
While none of the incidents occurred on campus, two occurred near the Foggy Bottom campus on February 1, 2023.
“Victims have been provided with coats and in some cases, weapons have been brandished,” the school’s statement read.
“These coats are very expensive and our community members have to be careful when wearing them, even in very public areas. As always, be mindful of your surroundings,” the school warned.
GWU officials warned students to be careful about wearing their expensive winter coats after a series of Canada Goose-related robberies
Canada Goose jackets, especially popular among students from wealthy families who attend prestigious universities, cost hundreds of dollars, and in some cases more than $1,000.
One reported incident involved a New York couple wandering DuPont Circle, which is less than a mile from the White House, when they were approached at gunpoint and forced to pull over their Canada Goose jackets in broad daylight.
“I’m a lawyer from the South Bronx living in rough New York neighborhoods, so I thought I’d be well rested,” said Julian Kaufman, one half of the robbed couple.
And all of a sudden someone says, “Give me your coat!” Give your coat!’ And I thought, is this a joke?’ added Sheila Kaufman. “And then he brandished a gun at me … and I took it off and handed it to him.”
After Sheila. who was with her infant son at the time, forked over her coat, another gunman approached her husband for his.
Julian said the shooter started counting down from five. He didn’t get one before Julian handed over his coat.
“What are you going to do if you are in that situation? So you’ve got a gun to your head.’
The suspects were then seen getting into a silver Hyundai Elantra and driving away.
“They were in and out quickly, so they seemed to know what they were doing. I’m sure they’d done it before; they didn’t seem like novices,’ said Julian.
The popular down jackets range in price from hundreds of dollars to $1,500 for some styles
They are extremely popular among students from affluent families
Footage of the DuPont Circle Canada Goose thief hopping into his getaway car with the family’s stolen down jackets
George Washington University campus security advised students to think twice about wearing their winter clothes in February due to a recent string of robberies
Tourists will flock to DC next month for the iconic cherry blossom tree bloom, but they better hope it’s warm enough to pack their down jackets for the season
Recently, a Howard University student was also the target of a robbery for his Canada Goose jacket.
Lieutenant Patrick Loftus of the Metropolitan Police Department said last month that in such robberies “we want people to cooperate.”
“Property is not worth your life. Give that property away, get a good description of that person, and we want people to call 911,” he said.
Last year, the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) of senior agents of America’s largest armed forces issued a mid-year warning report that crime increased. Including in Washington, D.C., where robberies increased nearly 31 percent year-over-year.
The DC police force, like many across the country, has suffered from recruiting new officers as law enforcement officers continue to face politically driven backlash for doing their jobs.
