Denton police Investigator Rachel Fleming and police in Scotland have apprehended a Scottish man accused of identity theft, Denton police reported Friday.

After two months of work, Fleming tracked the suspect, Ansar Shahban, down in Denton.

“She played the biggest part,” said police spokesman Ryan Grelle. “Without her locating him and finding out his information — he wasn’t even on Scotland’s radar until she made contact with them.”

Police say Shahban ordered take-out from Denton-area sandwich shops and bars.

He requested the delivery drivers overcharge a credit card, gave large tips and pocketed the rest, police said.

That occurred at least 25 times in October and November with the transactions totaling about $1,500, police said in a news release.

In January, a business contacted Denton police after credit charges were declined.

Fleming tracked Shahban from one Denton apartment complex to the next.

“It took quite a while to track him down and get everything needed to get a warrant for his arrest,” Grelle said. “With ID theft suspects, it’s hard to locate them.”

Credit companies reported to Fleming that the cards used by the suspect had been issued in the United Kingdom but used in Denton and Flower Mound.

As Denton police closed in on him, the suspect returned home to Scotland.

Police believe Shahban is connected with a large identity theft case based in Scotland and could be responsible for millions of dollars in losses in the United States.

According to the release, Shahban was detained at his home in Scotland this week and admitted to obtaining the stolen credit information while working as a waiter there.

Scottish police arrested him on charges of credit card fraud based on the transactions he made in Denton.

BJ LEWIS can be reached at 940-566-6875. His e-mail address is

blewis@dentonrc.com.