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I sent Mike some figures to paint and haven't heard from him in awhile.

I've called him (and left a couple of messages) and sent him some email, but I haven't heard back from him.

Does anybody know if he is ok?

Hmmm, some details please? maybe link to which member is doing it. Or some quotes from the agreement.

I heard about him via The Eternal Warriors podcast and he also painted something for the 11th Company and he lives in MD like I do so I thought this wouldn't be yet another painting service that screws me..

This is his service's FB page:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/paintingapothecary/

This is the chat we had:
Nick Evancich
Quote?
I just bought this army off ebay and I'd like it finished. Basically paint the unpainted models like the painted one. I live in MD and can drop them off.

1x Bloodthirster - Painted
1x Great Unclean One
1x Lord of Change - Painted
1x Daemon Prince - Painted
1x Skulltaker on Juggernaut

1x Soul Grinder - Painted

30x Bloodletters - Painted x16
15x Plaguebearers Painted x10
19x Pink Horrors Painted x2
19x Daemonettes

5x Bloodcrushers Painted x2
9x Flamers of Tzeentch Painted x8
1x Changling
6x Screamers
5x Fleshhounds Painted x1
1x Karanak Painted
4x Nurglings

June 30Mike Krakosky Jr.
ok i need pics of the models and how detailed do you want them.

June 30Nick Evancich
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Warhammer 40k Chaos Daemons Army
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June 30Mike Krakosky Jr.
so of them look dusty from mate coat, so I can do the unpainted like the painted ones. they look like tier 2.

June 30Nick Evancich
Cool, how much?

June 30Mike Krakosky Jr.
$400 for all of it. if you want me to touch up any of them i can do that too.

June 30Nick Evancich
Awesome! What are the terms? paypal 50% up front? Where in MD are you? What is the time line?

June 30Mike Krakosky Jr.
I usually have 100% paypal up front. I live in bowie ,MD and would take 2 months

This is the last contact I've had with him:
Nick Evancich
What is the ETA on the project?

September 14Mike Krakosky Jr.
in couple of weeks

October 6Nick Evancich
Just checking in to see how things are coming along and when everything will be finished?

I'm think I'm going to file a police report tomorrow

Sounds like you live close to him, any chance you drop in for a visit before police report?

Totally. But, he isn't returning my calls, SMS's, or emails. I have his address (I shipped the models to him). So, do I just show up and knock on his door and ask for my models + refund?

I'm kind of asking dakka for a head check, the last message I have from him is in the middle of Sept and he hasn't returned my attempts to contact him. Am I being a jerk? I figure he: under estimated the quote or hasn't finsihed the job or wants to steal my models & $.

If he isn't returning calls, emails or SMS, I would go to his address. Take someone with you, not to threaten, but just in case he threatens you. Politely ask for your models and a refund.

Then if he doesn't give you your models back, take it to the police and treat it as a theft. Have a scan through his blogs etc to check if he has sold them or tried to sell them. If you can get evidence, the more the better.

Good luck!

evancich wrote:Totally. But, he isn't returning my calls, SMS's, or emails. I have his address (I shipped the models to him). So, do I just show up and knock on his door and ask for my models + refund?

I'm kind of asking dakka for a head check, the last message I have from him is in the middle of Sept and he hasn't returned my attempts to contact him. Am I being a jerk? I figure he: under estimated the quote or hasn't finsihed the job or wants to steal my models & $.

No you aren't being a jerk at all. The only reason you need to show up at his house is due to his lack of responses.
And he have only himself to blame to be in that situation ( anything else he should let you know )

Myself is a commission painter so a siren went off in my head when i read what you said he responded.

September 14Mike Krakosky Jr.
in couple of weeks

There is only 1 possibility for that answer, because lets look at the scenarios. Since an army he should have been working on shouldn't take much additional time to complete.
That much time needed is as if he never started. So one thing he can use as an excuse is that he worked on multiple commissions simultaneously.
This is also a nono for a lone commissioned painter that works on whole army. To take so many commissions he have no capability to finish.

Then the excuse 90% of people use in a corner like that would be "family emergency" by then I guess you already found him or contacted him...
Tell him you dont want to wait anymore if he hasnt start it ( insist on seeing whether he did anything or not ) the moment you confirm its not started, get your money + army back.
Tell him you are sorry for the loss but, you have the right to your property + your money that he never honored the work done.

How old is he? showing up and asking his parents also helps xD

That is a good point, I hadn't thought about my personal safety. I'll bring some other guys with me.

Yeah, that is what I figured. He hadn't started it and is just delaying me. My problem is, I've sent him messages saying that if he needs more time or money, we can talk about it. But he hasn't returned my messages.

Based on www.zillow.com it looks like he is in his 30's and own's his house.

I wish I would have sent these models to Blue Table Painting. So, far they are the only painting service that I've used that I can trust.

evancich wrote:I've sent him messages saying that if he needs more time or money, we can talk about it. But he hasn't returned my messages..

I would say don't offer that again, if he can ditch you once, he can ditch you again. ( especially if he didn't start working on it yet )

As a commission painter myself, I'm sorry to hear you're having troubles. It sounds like he took too much on to his plate and can't get it done as quickly as he thought he could. You have every right to ask for the return of your money and your models, and he's just going to have to suck it up.

It also sounds like you've done everything reasonably possible to contact him, and the next step would indeed be to knock on his front door and ask for your models back if he hasn't even touched them. If he has worked on them, he's still taken way too long to do them and he's ignored your attempts to contact him. In that case you should probably ask for your models back and at least most of your money.

Do go with at least one of your friends, but I wouldn't say more than one. Anymore than one other guy (or girl) might make the situation worse, as in he might think you're going to try and beat him or something equally horrid.

Experiences like this illustrate how incredibly important reputation is in the commission painting industry, not only of the painter but also of the very idea of commission painting. Painters who don't get the job done, or who do not communicate with their clients throughout the process make it harder on the rest of us to establish ourselves as reliable, hardworking people who take pride in our work.

You may also want to try to locate a local constable or the local police department. Explain the situation to them and ask if someone could accompany you to the house. If someone does come then I can almost guarantee that trouble will be held to a minimum. If he can't/won't come then at least they will be on notice so that if something does happen there shouldn't be much of a kerfuffle. Sometimes the police will come so that they can do something without having to "do something" about the situation.

Knocked on his door today. No answer. I could see him in his house and cars were parked outside.

Spent like 45 min trying to get him to come to the door.

:(

Keep coming every day you can. Make damn well sure he knows that you want your models back.

You heard about him on the Eternal Warriors podcast. Perhaps they'd like to know that they are endorsing a possible thief, or at the least a poor excuse for a business man. Maybe they'd call him out on the next podcast regarding the issue.

I'd just file a police report. Let them do the policing for you.

If you know he's in there and ignoring you now is the time to call the Police and let them handle the situation. He's committed theft and will be punished for it.

It is an hour each way to Bowie, MD for me. I'd rather not make the trip again (we had a freak snow storm here and it made the drive longer).

Yeah, I think it is time to file a police report.

I guess it goes without saying, but please don't use:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/paintingapothecary/

I don't know if I'm reading it right but he appears to have posted on facebook every week or two up until the start of September and then nothing.

It looks suspicious given the other horror stories from painting services but for all we know something genuine may have happened to him. It's shame you can't make a personal call before calling the police.

@Treesong

Not sure if you read the thread.

#1: I asked if anybody knows him and if he is ok

#2: I've been trying to contact him for weeks

#3: I saw him in his house today and he ignored me

I'd definately call that blatant theft. File a police report AND make you have printed evidence of all accounts.

Good to have on you when you get your stuff back

I really hate to read stories like this, as I feel it makes all of us who are doing commissioned work look shady (which we are not). I provide home address, shop address, multiple phone numbers/emails and facebook info to my personal page, if I agree to take on a commision. If you can't get a hold of me, you aren't trying. This is probably also the reason that I have people from as far away as Australia as clients.

At this point let the police earn thier money. File the report & then stay on top of them over it. If you paid through PayPal, start a dispute, and in the future, beware of any service that wants your models & your money upfront. Good Luck!

evancich wrote:#3: I saw him in his house today and he ignored me

Ehh that'[s not good. I would have kept banging and shouting until I got a response.

It seems a bit odd that a service would want the models and payment up front. Aside from a payment for some costs to make and paint, really the models themselves are a deposit.

Are you quite sure it was him you saw in the house?

No, I'm not sure if it was him. It looked like him, but I didn't get a good look.

I filed a police report today and got the commissioner to file charges. Either a warrant will happen and / or a court summons.

I know Mike is a volunteer fire fighter... perhaps a lot of calls happening. I follow him on twitter, and he hasn't done anything since Sept. 2, so perhaps he finally got a job and hasn't gotten time to your models (or he's homeless now).

Well Mike has legal trouble now.

The last time Mike contacted (or returned one of my attempts to get ahold of him) was 9-14-11. It has been 49 days. I called and left voice mail, sent him SMS's, emails, and Facebook messages and he hasn't returned any of them.

I just want my property and money back.

Alfndrate wrote:I know Mike is a volunteer fire fighter... perhaps a lot of calls happening. I follow him on twitter, and he hasn't done anything since Sept. 2, so perhaps he finally got a job and hasn't gotten time to your models (or he's homeless now).

My son is a volunteer firefighter, goes to school and holds down two jobs - as well as being married. He's only 22 years old.
If he could find the time to return a phone call or answer the door, so can this guy.

Eric

MagickalMemories wrote:

Alfndrate wrote:I know Mike is a volunteer fire fighter... perhaps a lot of calls happening. I follow him on twitter, and he hasn't done anything since Sept. 2, so perhaps he finally got a job and hasn't gotten time to your models (or he's homeless now).

My son is a volunteer firefighter, goes to school and holds down two jobs - as well as being married. He's only 22 years old.
If he could find the time to return a phone call or answer the door, so can this guy.

Eric

Maybe he's had a lot of fires to put out recently. It could they can't spare the water for washing brushes. I suggest that next time evancich goes to see him he takes some water in case there's a shortage.

I would set up camp at his front door. The guy can't stay inside his house forever.

Call the police, time to bring it to the next level.