A Jamaican-American musician has called out Culture Kings after he was singled out instead of another group when a security alarm went off – forcing the retail chain to issue an apology.
Kiel Hoilett-Riley, known as Kilo, visited the Culture Kings streetwear store on Hosier Lane in Melbourne earlier this year and captured the incident on video.
Just seconds after entering, Mr Hoilett-Riley saw a group of three men trigger the security alarm as they exited through Culture Kings’ security gates.
He stepped aside to let a female employee speak with the group. However, the employee said ‘all of you’ and gestured for the group, along with Mr Hoilett-Riley and his friend, to walk back through the gates.
A Jamaican-American tourist has called out Culture Kings after he was singled out instead of another group when a security alarm went off
Mr Hoilett-Riley walked back through the gate at the same time as a member from the other group triggered the alarm.
‘I literally just walked in and walked back out,’ Mr Hoilett-Riley told the worker. She responded: ‘The more you argue with me, the more I think it’s gonna be you. If you want to just walk through [the gates], that’s all I need from you.’
Mr Hoilett-Riley walked back through the gate at the same time as a member from the other group triggered the alarm.
‘Well look at that, the alarm went off,’ the worker said.
She then told the group of three men they were ‘good to go’ and asked Mr Hoilett-Riley to empty his bag for inspection.
After checking the bag and finding no stolen items, the worker told off Mr Hoilett-Riley for ‘throwing words’ and called for another worker to join her at the door.
When Mr Hoilett-Riley and his friend tried to leave, the worker blocked them and asked to unzip his jacket.
‘Why are you arguing with me if you didn’t [take anything]? Just cooperate, that’s all I need,’ the worker said.
‘I barely came in the store,’ Mr Hoilett-Riley told her.
After complying, no stolen items were found.
Kiel Hoilett-Riley, known as Kilo, visited the Culture Kings store, where he was singled out when a security alarm went off
Kiel calls out Culture Kings
He told Daily Mail Australia the situation left him so shocked his ‘mind went blank’.
‘I complied with her requests, so that’s what triggered me even more,’ Mr Hoilett-Riley said.
Kiel (pictured) said the apology from Culture Kings does not cut it
‘I really don’t need to steal at all.
‘When everyone else gets released, your mind starts to question why.’
‘I feel like I’m psychologically damaged from this experience because how could something so judgmental happen to me? In Australia? Of all places?’
He told Daily Mail Australia he’s been ‘pretty down since the incident’.
‘I didn’t expect this from Australia,’ he said.
‘This never happened to me in America. So, to travel outside of there where you feel like things wouldn’t be as bad is shocking.
‘Culture Kings reached out and sent one of those copy and paste apology notes, and that sh*t is not cutting it.
Culture Kings is a popular streetwear and lifestyle retailer with stores across Australia
Culture Kings responds
In a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Culture Kings ANZ President Ian Everest said he was ‘aware of the incident’.
‘We sincerely apologise for the frustration this caused out customers,’ he said.
‘Culture Kings is committed to providing a welcoming and safe environment for all our customers, it is never our intent to make patrons feel unsafe in our spaces.
‘In light of this incident, our staff are undergoing further training so we can continue to cultivate a positive in-store experience.’
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