A 15-year-old Brampton boy is facing numerous charges after allegedly stealing several cell phones during Facebook Marketplace trading.

Peel Regional Police (PRP) said they responded to several reports of thefts in September and October. They said the victims were meeting a man to sell their smartphones.

Agents said the purported buyer used Facebook Marketplace to arrange these buying and selling meetings, using the pseudonym “David Paul.”

During these meetings, he allegedly asked to see the victim’s phone to inspect it before taking it and fleeing with it.

Police said that during at least one of those encounters, the suspect pulled out a knife while demanding they hand over the phones. No physical injuries were reported, they add.

On October 19, PRP said the suspect met with another victim to purchase a phone, but this time he was unable to escape and the victim detained him until police arrived.

The suspect, whose identity has not been released under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was arrested and charged with theft and assault.

However, after his first arrest, investigators said they linked him to at least eight other similar incidents.

After executing a search warrant at a Brampton residence on October 23, police laid additional charges against the youth, including six counts of theft under $5,000.

The accusations have not been tested in court.

Police believe the accused worked with different accomplices during some of the meetings. These people remain exceptional. Police provided no further details about the accomplices.

Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact them at 905-453-2121, ext. 21.2133, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.