Armed robbers target people for Canada Goose coats

Police have issued a warning after a string of armed robberies targeted people wearing Canada Goose winter coats in Washington DC.

There were at least seven reported robberies of people wearing the popular luxury coats between December and February.

Some of the robberies took place near George Washington University, prompting the campus to issue its own advisory.

The prices of the coats stolen range from $550 (£454) to nearly $1,500.

Police are urging the public to stay vigilant.

Reports of the robberies first emerged in December, when a couple said they were attacked while walking with their young children in the northeast area of Washington DC.

One of the victims told the local NBC News network that she believed the robbers were trying to pull off her Canada Goose jacket, but they did not succeed.

Several other robberies involving the luxury coat have unfolded in the subsequent weeks.

On 24 January, a Howard University student wearing a Canada Goose coat was targeted after several masked suspects pulled up to him in a car. They then took his coat and fled the scene.

Howard University police said the attack took place in a busy area, "amongst a crowd of onlookers and witnesses". The suspects have since been arrested and the student's jacket was returned to him.

A week later, two incidents involving armed robbers took place near the George Washington University campus, where the suspects demanded the victims take off their Canada Goose coats at gunpoint.

The campus issued a formal advisory the following day alerting its community members about the string of robberies targeting Canada Goose wearers.

"These jackets are very expensive, and our community members should be mindful while wearing them, even in very public spaces," the advisory read. "As always, be mindful of your surroundings."

Police in Washington DC have also spoken out about the string of robberies, asking people to cooperate and give up the coats if they are being held at gunpoint.

"Property is not worth your life. Give away that property, try to get a good description of that person, and we want people to call 911," Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Patrick Loftus said.

Reports of another robbery have since emerged, this time involving a tourist couple walking around Dupont Circle in central Washington DC, who were approached by robbers at gunpoint in the middle of the afternoon on 5 February.

"All of a sudden someone's like, 'Gimme your coat! Gimme your coat!' And I thought, is this a joke?" Sheila Kaufman, who was attacked, told NBC News, adding that she and her husband both took off their coats and handed them to the gunmen.

Thieves have previously targeted Canada Goose wearers in other US cities, notably Chicago, where six incidents of winter coats being robbed at gunpoint were reported in just over a week in 2019.

Similar incidents have also been reported in the UK, where a man was mugged for his Canada Goose jacket that turned out to be a knock-off.

The Canadian-made parkas and coats are notoriously pricey, with some retailing for up to $1,850.

The brand has drawn criticism in the past from animal rights organisations like PETA, who have accused it of using unethical practices to supply the wild coyote fur that lines the coats' hoods.

In 2021, the company responded by saying it will no longer use fur in its products.

Despite their expensive price-tag, the popularity of the coats appears to be trending upwards. Canada Goose's annual revenues have climbed steadily since 2015, reaching a peak of C$1.1bn (US$820,000; £670,000) in 2020.