PLYMOUTH — At least eight employees are out of a job after their company suddenly shut down, and their boss was arrested. Mayer Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning shut its doors late Thursday.

Police say the company's owner, 40-year-old Chris Troutner of Warsaw, stole money from his employees by deducting money from their paychecks for medical and dental insurance, but never paying the money to Mayer's insurance provider.

Now, employees want to know why.

Gene Keller is one of them.

He worked at Mayer for 7 years before suddenly discovering that, in his words, "trouble was brewing."

"When I went to the doctor [last May], I found out we had no insurance," Keller said. "[Troutner] denied it."

On Friday afternoon, Keller's empty repair truck sat outside Mayer's now empty storefront. The building's future, like his, uncertain.

"He was taking insurance money out of our checks and not paying the insurance company," said Keller, explaining why it all ended up this way. "All of his suppliers shut him down because he would not pay his bills."

Keller and seven other employees at Mayer went to police several months ago to ask them to investigate why their insurance coverage had suddenly lapsed.

Police say when they looked into the issue, they uncovered something strange.

"The insurance had terminated June 30, 2008, because of non-payment by the employer," said Plymouth Police Detective Sergeant Leo Mangus.

Even so, investigators say Troutner continued to collect his employees' contribution from each paycheck, and simply kept the money.

"There's no evidence that shows that he ever attempted to make payments after June 30th," said Det. Sgt. Mangus.

On Wednesday afternoon police arrested Troutner and charged him with eight Class D felony counts of theft. He posted bond, and was released from jail.

When employees showed up to work the next day, they found Troutner waiting for them.

"He told us we could work the day or go home. Then he had three people he hired to clean everything out of the building," Keller said.

WSBT spoke with Troutner to ask him why the doors were suddenly shut.

He refused to comment, and referred all questions to his attorney.

"Chris was unable to continue making insurance payments for his employees, but he did not take or spend any of those funds. This is not a case of corporate greed. It's anything but that," said Doug Lemon of Warsaw, Troutner's attorney.

There's no argument though that the move is another tough blow in an uncertain economy.

"I was shocked," said Jane Ann Klapp, who works at the gas station next door to the now vacant Mayer building. "I really feel for the workers. They were good customers here, and that's another business down the drain."

But for Keller, Mayer's former customers have it worse.

"It's not only his employees, it's the public that he's hurt," Keller said. "They won't have no warranty — extended warranty — that they paid for. I was fixing a woman's furnace last night — my last job. She has no heat. Now, she'll never get it completed by Mayer, even though she paid half of the job down."

As for Keller's future?

"I was working for the customer, not the boss," he said. "I'll find another job. Maybe not right away, but I will find another job. I'm glad it's over, but he sold me out, and he sold everyone else out in Marshall County and all the other counties we've done work for."

Troutner could face up to 3 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for each count if he's convicted.

He's set to appear in court on December 2nd.