DC university advises students NOT to wear Canada Goose jackets 

School security officials at George Washington University in the District of Columbia, have warned students not to wear Canada Goose jackets in an effort to help them avoid thieves who have targeted wearers of the expensive winter coats.

A recent wave of robberies in the crime-addled capital of the US has impacted individuals wearing the identifiable down coats in neighborhoods around the city.

Two of those thefts occurred in areas adjacent to GW's campus, prompting the school officials to warn students of the school to be on high alert.

'While none of the incidents have occurred on campus, two took place near the Foggy Bottom campus on February 1, 2023.

'Jackets have been taken off of victims and in some cases, weapons have been brandished,' read the message from the school.

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

GWU officials warned students to be mindful about sporting their expensive winter coats following a string of Canada Goose-related robberies

Canada Goose jackets, particularly popular among students from affluent families who attend prestigious universities, cost hundreds of dollars, and in some cases upward of $1,000.

One reported incident involved a New York couple strolling around DuPont Circle, which is less than a mile from the White House, when they were approached at gunpoint and forced to fork over their Canada Goose jackets in broad daylight.

'I'm an attorney from the south Bronx, living in rough neighborhoods in New York, so I thought I would be well-equipped,' said Julian Kaufman, one half of the couple who were robbed.

'And all of the sudden someone's like, 'Gimme your coat! Gimme your coat!' And I thought, is this a joke?' added Sheila Kaufman. 'And then he waved a gun by me...and I took it off and gave it to him.'

After Sheila. who was with her young son at the time, forked over her jacket, a different gunman approached her husband for his.

Julian said the gunman began counting down from five. He didn't make it to one before Julian handed over his jacket.

'What're you gonna do if you're in that situation? You got a gun to your head, so.'

The suspects were then seen getting into a silver Hyundai Elantra and speeding off.

'They were in and out fast, so they seemed to know what they were doing. I'm sure they'd done it before; they didn't seem like rookies,' said Julian.

The popular down coats range in price from hundreds of dollars to $1,500 for some styles

They are exceedingly popular among college students from affluent families

Images of the DuPont Circle Canada Goose thief hopping into his getaway car with the family's stolen down coats

George Washington University campus security advised students to think twice about wearing their winter gear in February because of a recent string of robberies

Next month, tourists will flock to DC for the iconic cherry blossom tree bloom, but they'd better hope it's warm enough to have put their down jackets away for the season

Recently, a Howard University student was also targeted in a robbery for his Canada Goose jacket.

Metropolitan Police Department Lieutenant Patrick Loftus said last month that in such robberies, 'we want people to cooperate.'

'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,' he said.

Last year, the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) of senior cops from America's biggest forces has warned in its mid-year report that crime was on the rise. Including in Washington, DC, where robberies were up nearly 31 percent year-over-year.

The DC police force, like many around the country, has suffered with recruiting new officers as law enforcement officers continue to face politically-driven backlash for doing their jobs.