A Kmart store has incited the wrath of a customer after they stopped an African family and searched their bags in the self-service checkout line – while letting her, a white female, pass by unchecked.
Ricki Lee took to the ‘Kmart Mums Australia – Rants’ Facebook page on to share her account of the incident, which allegedly took place at a store in western Sydney on Thursday.
Ms Lee claims the checkout attendant stopped the African family in the line and proceeded to go through and check off every item on their docket.
A Kmart store has incited the wrath of a customer after they stopped and searched an African family’s bags in the self-service checkout line (stock image)
‘An African family were stopped right behind me after using the self serve, and the lady went through everything on their receipt one at a time. After just watching them buy it,’ she wrote in the post.
‘I watched white people walk past, and then after finding no stolen items, they [the African family] were let leave.’
Ms Lee goes on to point out that she walked straight through the checkout without incident – before calling out the attendant on her apparent bias.
Taking to Facebook, the woman claimed that the checkout attendant stopped the African family in the line and went through and checked off every item on their docket (stock image)
‘[I] Turned around after stepping out, said “You don’t check my receipt?” to the Kmart lady… and she just looked baffled,’ she wrote.
‘She even shrugged at the door guy. Like you don’t know what you did. Disgusting.’
The Facebook group in which Ms Lee posted her tirade has 12,000 followers – many of whom stepped up to share their own outrage in the comments section.
‘I watched white people walk past,’ she said. ‘Turned around after stepping out, said “You don’t check my receipt?” to the Kmart lady… and she just looked baffled’ (stock image)
‘So wrong! There is theiving trash in every colour and race’ said Sonya Stocker.
‘Theres one at lidcombe who only checks bags from women who are fully covered (muslims) and goes through everything and doesnt even say a thing to other races,’ writes Joujou Tee.
Paige Beardsworth laments that, ‘This happens everywhere, unfortunately. Every time I’m at my local, this exact thing happens. It disgusts me.’
But Ms Lee implores passive observers to do more than just complain in closed Facebook groups.
‘More people should speak up at the time,’ she believes.
‘If you see it happening, say something. Don’t stand by.
‘This racist tard might not have the balls next time if she thinks people will pull her up who see it. That’s why I said something to her.’
Users in the comments section chipped in to express similar outrage, with some claiming that incidents like this occur at other Kmart stores as well (stock image)
When asked for comment, a Kmart spokesperson issued the following statement:
‘At Kmart, our conditions of entry are displayed at the front entrance of all of our stores across Australia and New Zealand.
As a condition of entry, if requested by our team members, customers are to present any bags, parcels, cartons, containers and receipts, for checking before leaving the store.
‘Kmart does not unlawfully discriminate against customers when conducting bag checks.’