Share and Follow
By Staff Writer
ALACHUA, Fla. – Essence C. Robinson, aged 33, found herself in custody yesterday following an incident at the High Springs Advance Auto Parts store. Robinson allegedly attempted to use a fake check to purchase merchandise worth over $2,000 at the Alachua branch of the store.
On March 26, around 6:38 p.m., an officer from the Alachua Police Department was dispatched to Advance Auto Parts located at 15579 NW U.S. Hwy 441, Alachua. The store employees reported that Robinson had selected items totaling $2,123.11 and tried to pay with a check. Due to a prior alert from a Lake City store regarding similar check fraud attempts, the store manager declined the transaction. Robinson then quickly exited in a black sedan bearing a Texas license plate.
Suspecting Robinson might attempt similar fraudulent activities at other nearby Advance Auto Parts locations, the officer alerted the High Springs Police Department. An HSPD officer soon located the black sedan at the High Springs Advance Auto Parts store at 20201 U.S. Hwy 441. Robinson, accompanied by two others, was reportedly about to enter the store. (Details about the two accompanying individuals have not been disclosed.)
After being read her Miranda rights, Robinson initially denied visiting the Alachua store or attempting any purchases. However, she later revised her story, acknowledging she had been in the store but claimed she was merely checking prices and had no intention of making a purchase.
A search of the black sedan reportedly produced about 15 blank checks, along with receipts from multiple Advance Auto Parts stores in Lake City, totaling about $1,800; the items on the receipts were reportedly found in the trunk of the sedan. The search also reportedly produced additional receipts from stores in Georgia and several Green Dot cards.
Robinson has been charged with attempted fraud and attempting to pass a fraudulent check. She has no criminal convictions in Florida, but she has an unspecified criminal history in another state between 2010 and 2026. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $30,000.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.