Man arrested for armed robbery of Dollar Tree

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Christopher Akiva Jenkins, 49, was arrested last night and charged with armed robbery and petit theft after employees at the Dollar Tree at 1355 NW 23rd Avenue reported that a man had taken the store’s cash register.

The victim and a witness told a Gainesville Police Department officer that the cash register had recently been counted and had $90 in it at that time. They reported that a man had come into the store at about 9:40 p.m., approached the register, and tried to take the entire register. The victim said he struggled with the man to get the cash register back and came around the counter to try to stop him. The victim and witness both reported that the man then pulled an object, which they believed to be a shotgun, from under his shirt and pointed it at them. The victim said he then stopped struggling with the man, and the man fled with the cash register.

The cash register was located at a bus stop about 300 feet away, and some cash was found nearby. A perimeter was established, and at 9:49 p.m., Jenkins was contacted while walking out of the perimeter on NW 16th Terrace. His clothing matched the description provided by the victim and the witness, and they reportedly positively identified him as the robber.

Jenkins was arrested and searched and was reportedly found to have $119.30 in cash in his pockets, mostly crumpled small-denomination bills. Jenkins also reportedly had a cash register receipt showing the victim’s name and the amount that had been in the cash register when it was counted.

Post Miranda, Jenkins reportedly provided “a multitude” of stories regarding why he was in the area and where he was going, “none of which were consistent with his path of travel.” He denied ever entering the Dollar Tree and provided no explanation for having the cash register receipt in his pocket.

Jenkins has a federal criminal history and convictions in Georgia, Maryland, and Virginia. He has one local violent misdemeanor conviction. He is being held on $205,000 bail.

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.