Bike Theft Leads To Significant Conviction

On July 22nd, Edward Grams entered the park’s Wright Dunbar Visitor Center and stole a dual-purpose bicycle used by interpretive staff. The bike was located in an area typically closed to the public. Surveillance cameras caught Grams walking through the building and entering the basement, then riding off on the bicycle. Prior to doing so, Grams dropped off a backpack at the visitor center desk which had information in it leading to his positive identification. This information included a citation from the Dayton Police Department and prescription medication. He apparently forgot that he left the backpack at the desk before stealing the bicycle. On November 8th, Grams was sentenced to 180 days in jail with no time suspended for the theft. The fact that Grams has been arrested at least 18 times this year alone for separate violations may have been a factor in the judge’s ordering the maximum possible sentence. The six-foot-long replica of the Wright Brothers airplane hanging from the courtroom ceiling may also be an indicator of the court’s perspective on the gravity of the crime.