Escapees may be with girlfriends

ALLEGAN, Mich. (WOOD) - Two inmates who escaped from a Lake County correctional facility on Saturday are believed to be with their girlfriends, the chief of the Allegan Police Department told 24 Hour News 8.

Kenneth Grauman and Gregory Bradshaw have eluded police since their escape from the Lake County Residential Reentry Program. A search in a specific Allegan County area near Dorr Monday night was unsuccessful.

Authorities believe Grauman is dating Brittany Rector, 17, while Bradshaw is dating 29-year-old Laura Grauman who is Kenneth Grauman's cousin.

The US Marshal's Office is offering a reward of up to $1,500 for information that leads to their capture. Witnesses are advised to call 911 and can remain anonymous.  

Kenneth Grauman's uncle, Thomas VanDam, said he always knew his nephew had a problem with methamphetamines, but said he doesn't understand Grauman's actions now.  

"He had a problem, but like I said he didn't know any other life besides prisons. Nobody taught him any different," VanDam told 24 Hour News 8.

"As far as I know, Kenny don't want to go back to prison," VanDam added.

He went on say he didn't understand why Grauman would escape from a place that "wasn't really prison."

"He's scared, so I really don't understand why he did this, because as far as I know there's no reason to," said VanDam. "Turn yourself in, buddy. I mean, we love you."

The other escapee, Greg Bradshaw, used to live in Tonya Bradford's house until he broke in and stole guns from the family.

"I don't trust Greg," she said. "I never have."

Bradford lives in the area police searched Monday night. She said she worried Bradshaw may have broken into a foreclosed home near hers.

"It's just shocking and you got to worry about your kids being outside," she said. "You don't know what he's going to do or what's going to happen."

The two men knew each other before they ended up in the Lake County facility, said Lt. Frank Baker of the Allegan County Sheriff's Department. But he said they have no idea how long the escape was planned or why they would come back to their home area.

"I'm not sure what they're thinking coming back to an area where they could be recognized on sight," said Lt. Baker.

There are multiple convictions for weapons offenses, fleeing police, and breaking and entering between the two escapees.

Police now believe the inmates are armed and dangerous.

"For us," Lt. Baker said, "our concern obviously is in their desperate way they they wouldn't do something that would place someone in the community at risk."