My thoughts exactly.
It would be easier for the diagnoses to the problem.

 

I hesitate to bring this up; Who did you buy the car from? A REPUTABLE dealer? I am suspect illegal activity.. Maybe somebody over rode the security features for good purposes.

No, you should not be able to move the shifter unless the key is on and your foot is on the brake pedal. A dead battery would present as a locked key and gearshift and the security light on the dash.

That piece of wire is meant to defeat the anti theft system.