Two Cedar Rapids men accused of stealing $60,000 worth of copper cables

Two Cedar Rapids men — one of whom was arrested last year on charges he stole copper and wiring from an industrial site — have been accused of theft of copper wire.

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Travis Vomacka, 43, was charged in August of last year with first-degree criminal mischief, first-degree theft, and conspiracy to commit a nonforcible felony. According to a criminal complaint, he and an unidentified accomplice stole $130,000 worth of copper and wiring from Wabtec Locomotive, a company that rebuilds locomotive motors in southwest Cedar Rapids.

That theft happened during two burglaries, on April 11, 2024 and May 4, 2024, and Vomacka was arrested in August. He pleaded not guilty in October and the case still is in the process of being adjudicated.

Last week, charges were filed against Joshua Marak, 36, for first-degree theft and driving while barred. He was already being held in the Linn County Jail after being arrested earlier this month on a probation violation.

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According to a criminal complaint, Marak was seen on June 14 — on a license-plate reader camera in the 800 block of Eighth Street SE — driving Vomacka’s truck to and from Mercy Medical Center.

Both men were caught on Mercy’s security footage putting on reflective vests and hard hats before entering a construction area at the hospital and stealing $64,077 worth of heavy-duty copper supply line cables, according to the complaint and a search warrant request filed last week.

No charges have been publicly filed yet against Vomacka in the new theft case, but he is listed as a codefendent on Marak’s criminal complaint and in the search warrant.

Marak had his first appearance in court Tuesday and is being held in the Linn County Jail on a $12,000 bond.

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