BROWNSBURG, Ind. -- A Brownsburg taxidermy owner has been arrested and charged with 16 counts of theft and 1 count of corrupt business influence, months after a Call 6 Investigation into the company’s practices.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office and the Hendricks County Prosecutor’s Office arrived at Brownsburg Taxidermy on State Road 267 at 8 am Tuesday to serve both search and arrest warrants to owner Kevin McGrotty.
McGrotty collected thousands of dollars from his customers and guaranteed completed work, but failed to do the work promised, according to court documents filed this week.
Police have been receiving complaints about Brownsburg Taxidermy since at least 2015, records show.
Call 6 Investigates has received numerous complaints about McGrotty taking money from people and failing to deliver, including consumers who said McGrotty asked them to pay the remainder of their mount fee so they could get bumped up in line and get their mount sooner.
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McGrotty told Call 6 Investigates he had been suffering from health and personal problems, but planned to finish outstanding orders before closing in the fall of 2017.
“I plan to file for bankruptcy, and I’m sending out letters to my customers letting them know what’s going on,” said McGrotty in April. “Everyone has their panties in a wad, but I’m struggling. I’m working every day to get caught up.”
Records show at least 10 complaints have been filed with the Better Business Bureau, earning the company an F grade.
DNR Public information officer Angela Goldman said consumers who spoke with Call 6 back in April helped prompt the investigation.
“Those same folks you interviewed are the same ones that tipped us off to the fact that Mr. McGrotty was not following through on his promises,” said Goldman. “So, certainly they are the ones that started our investigation and it has led to this today.”
Numerous customers of Brownsburg Taxidermy showed up to the raid Tuesday in the hopes of learning more about their orders.
“He asked me to pay him the full amount and he would finish my deer ahead of schedule,” said Tom Davis of Pittsboro. “I dropped it off and I haven’t heard from him since. I’ve been trying to resolve this issue for two years.”
Cassie Eiermann stopped by to find out what happened to her deer mount.
“He had reached out to my husband in the last six months to see if we would pay the remaining balance so we could get our deer sooner,” said Eiermann. “The bad thig is it was my husband’s first kill. More importantly, I just want the mount back and hopefully salvage that.”
DNR is asking for the public to stay calm if they're still waiting for items from McGrotty.
“All I can ask is please be patient as we are working through that process,” said Goldman.
McGrotty will not be able to finish his customers’ orders.
“As of today, McGrotty’s taxidermy license has been pulled as of this morning,” said Goldman
BBB Tips on Hiring a Company To Do a Service:
- Track Record. Before you hire check out the company’s BBB Business Review at bbb.org. Read what previous customers have to say, and see how the businesses respond to complaints.
- Look for the BBB Accredited Business Seal. BBB Accredited companies, which include a commitment to build trust, advertise honestly, tell the truth, be transparent, honor their promises, be responsive to their customers, safeguard privacy and embody integrity.
- Cost Comparisons. Get at least three quotes in writing, compare the quotes based on the same specification and make sure they have the proper equipment to perform the job quoted.
- References. Ask for references from the company’s last three jobs and contact them for a testimonial.
- Written Contract. Do not permit work to start without a signed, written contract that includes start and completion dates, exact costs, specific work to be done. Be sure to read the fine print carefully.
- Deposits and Payment. Do not pay large payments up front. Stagger your payments according to work stages and do not make a final payment until the job is completed to your satisfaction. Pay by check or credit card for added protection. Paying by credit card provides some recourse should the job no be completed as stated in the contract.
- Criminal History. Check out anyone you allow onto your property to see if they have a criminal history. Ask the company: Do they employees undergo a background check? Are they trained and certified? Will they be wearing name tags and uniforms on the job? Are the company vehicles clearly marked?
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