This is one of many crime trends in Washington, DC, and its been getting attention for months. Back in mid-February, the local ABC News affiliate filed a "what you need to know" story about how criminals were stealing expensive winter coats off of people's bodies, on the street, sometimes in broad daylight. The piece mentioned five different incidents that had occurred by that point. Several of the brazen robberies involved violent assaults, and in some cases, a weapon was brandished in the commission of the crime.
This is more than two months old, but here was the summary at the time:
D.C. police are tracking a string of similar crimes involving robberies of Canada Goose jackets in the District. The jackets are valued between $500 to $1,500. People are being robbed of these expensive coats on D.C. streets, police said, and in some cases, after a weapon is shown. At least two of the recent robberies happened near, but not on, The George Washington University campus. As a result, school administrators have posted an advisory for students and staff...The first robbery this year involving a Canada Goose jacket was reported on Jan. 24, when the victim told officers three men approached him at 2301 Georgia Avenue Northwest as he was walking to school, the police report stated. The men demanded he give up his jacket, according to MPD. The victim told them no. He was then assaulted by the men, who forced him to the ground and stole his jacket, according to the report. MPD said the men left the area in a blue Hyundai sedan. The victim's eye and forehead were injured during the theft, police said.
Two days later, on Jan. 26, a similar robbery happened in the 4300 block of Connecticut Avenue Northwest. The victim said that while he was getting out of his vehicle, he was approached by three men, one of whom pointed a black handgun at him and ordered him to take off his jacket and give up his vehicle, according to the police report. While he was taking off his coat, one of the men punched him in the face with a closed fist, police said...Another instance happened the next day, on Feb. 2. The victim told police he was walking on I Street Northwest when a man approached him from behind holding a handgun, according to a police report. He told the victim "don't [expletive] say anything or I'll blow your head off," MPD wrote. The victim asked what he wanted, and he reportedly replied, "I want the [expletive] jacket."
The problem is ongoing, via our former colleague, Kevin Glass:
MPD and GWU warned about wearing Canada Goose jackets in DC about a month ago: https://t.co/LuLf109FxN
— Kevin 👐 Glass (@KevinWGlass) March 21, 2023
I commented: The police in our nation’s capital city have warned people not to wear nice winter coats outdoors because roaming criminals are routinely stealing them off of people’s bodies. The city council is busy reducing criminal penalties & expanding “voting rights” to foreign citizens. What a disgrace. If only there were proven ways to reduce and combat crime. I emphasized these points on television, too:
Capital Crime: DC officials warn thieves are targeting expensive winter jackets@guypbenson on @OutnumberedFNC #FoxNews #Outnumbered #Crime pic.twitter.com/rmD0ejU31V
— The Guy Benson Show (@GuyBensonShow) March 22, 2023
And yes, we all know what the city council has been up to lately -- passing pro-criminal laws so insane that even national Democrats felt like they had no choice but to join the GOP and intervene. The DC city council needs adult supervision, yet Democrats want to make their medium-sized city an entire state, for completely political reasons. No.
