As winter tightens its grip and people are faced with frigid temperatures, Chicago residents are being robbed of their winter coats at gunpoint, having their jackets literally ripped off their backs.
Police in Chicago have reported a rash in gunpoint robberies as thieves target those wearing Canada Goose jackets. In just over a week, authorities said at least six people reported being robbed of their coat at gunpoint, CBS News reported.
One of the robberies was captured on security footage showing two men jumping from a Mercedes vehicle and approaching a man on a sidewalk.
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Video shows the 54-year-old man being punched and thrown around by two men, as one of them rips the coat from the victim’s back. The men flashed a gun before stealing the victim’s wallet and Canada Goose coat.
The same night, two men showed a gun to a 23-year-old man walking with a friend and demanded his Canada Goose coat.
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The Toronto-based company makes high-end winter coats that can cost upwards of $1,000. The jackets have been popularized by celebrities and social media influencers, and are ubiquitous in many urban centres.
As the Chicago Tribune reports, it’s not the first time the city was faced with thieves targeting the luxury outerwear.
Last year, a store in Lincoln Park was robbed four times in in a single month, with robbers smashing windows and making off with Canada Goose coats.
Chicago has been hit with a blast of Arctic air, with temperatures dropping to -40 C at night.