If I sent my wifes jewels to a jeweler I would expect them back, same with lawnmower, and my 66 GTO., and I would get them back with problems solved in an agreed on time. Unless I was using this Cobra guy to fix 'em. Then that's were the shit comes in sometimes causing otherwise good folks to go to jail.
Where I'm from these folks are known as no-account, sorry, lying sacks of country shit. The folks taking up for him do you also take up for other trades doing the same; example Carpenter takes $35,000.00 for up front and materials then just moseys on to another town without another thought about the $35,000.00 customer. Basically the same thing. Those that don't agree are doing something similar or either wanting to. IMO