2 suspects facing 87 charges after allegedly stealing credit cards, fleeing in a stolen vehicle: Toronto police

From left, Jamal Raja, 21, and 18-year-old Joshua Mawaka, both of Ajax, have been charged in connection with a fraud and theft of motor vehicle investigation. (TPS photos)

Two men from Ajax are each facing dozens of charges after allegedly stealing several credit cards and fleeing in a stolen vehicle, following a recent incident in Scarborough.

Toronto police say on Sept. 26 they responded to a call for a vehicle driving dangerously near Warden Avenue and Ellesmere Road.

Investigators allege two men were “acting as a food delivery worker and customer” and had approached a victim in a parking lot claiming they needed help to pay for a pizza, as one of their debit cards was not working.

One of the suspects offered cash to the victim for them to use their card to buy the pizza, police say, while the other suspect provided a stolen point-of-sale machine for them to use.

Police say during the interaction, the accused stole the victim’s credit card and returned a different one.

Officers arrived on-scene at that time and found the accused in a stolen Honda Civic a short time later. Toronto police say the suspects had disguised their face and fled from the police.

Tornoto police say officers stopped the vehicle, which they allege say had false licence plates attached, and arrested both men. Investigators say the car contained evidence to “support fraud charges.”

Jamal Raja, 21, and 18-year-old Joshua Mawaka, both of Ajax, are facing a total of 87 charges, including possess/use credit card obtained by offense, possession of a forged document with intent, dangerous operation of a conveyance, forgery, and disguise with intent.

Raja has also been charged with 24 counts of fail to comply with probation order.

Both men were scheduled to appear in bail court on Sept. 27.

Media officer Const. Viktor Sarudi told CP24 that according to the charges laid by the investigators, it “appears to be all credit cards” that were stolen.

Police believe there may be more victims and have released images of the accused.

This investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact Toronto police at 416-808-4100 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.