CABIN ATTENDANT RPT; S80; DFW-SJC. WOMAN SMOKING IN LAVATORY; SMOKE ALARM DIDN'T GO OFF; STOLE LIQUOR FROM GALLEY; INTOXICATED. POLICE MET FLT. CAPT DIDN'T PRESS CHARGES.

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AROUND XA00 PACIFIC TIME; SMOKE COULD BE SMELLED FROM THE AFT; R-HAND LAVATORY. PAX CALL LIGHTS WERE GOING OFF AROUND MID-CABIN. THEY ALSO WERE RPTING THE SMELL OF SMOKE. MYSELF AND ANOTHER FLT ATTENDANT OPENED THE LAVATORY DOOR. THE 'LADY' FROM ROW X HAD QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED HER CIGARETTE; DISPOSING OF IT IN A RECEPTACLE FULL OF PAPER HAND TOWELS. THERE WERE ALSO ASHES BY THE TOILET SEAT. SHE REEKED OF CIGARETTES; CLAIMED SHE HAD ONLY LIT ONE TO 'CLR' THE AIR. SHE HAD BEEN DRINKING QUITE A BIT AND WE HAVE WRITTEN RPTS FROM 2 OTHER PAX; WHO WITNESSED 'ROW X' LADY STEALING LIQUOR FROM THE BEVERAGE CARTS. SAN JOSE POLICE THEN MET OUR FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT NO ONE SAW THE WOMAN EXTINGUISH THE CIGARETTE IN THE TRASH CONTAINER. THE SMOKE WAS ALL THE WAY UP TO THE FRONT OF THE CABIN; SCARING A LOT OF THE PAX. THE SMOKE ALARM NEVER WENT OFF. DISCUSSING IT LATER WITH HER FLYING PARTNERS; SOMEONE SAID THAT THE SMOKE ALARM DOESN'T GO OFF FOR SMOKE THAT IS SMOLDERING; BUT ONLY FLAMES CAUSE THE HEAT TO GO WAY UP. THE WOMAN WAS TRAVELING WITH A GROUP OF NINE; INCLUDING CHILDREN. WHEN THE WOMAN STOLE THE LIQUOR FROM THE CARTS IN THE GALLEY; SHE POSTED ONE OF HER FRIENDS TO WATCH FOR AN APCHING FLT ATTENDANT; WHILE SHE FILLED A BAG UP WITH A LOT OF MINIATURES. THE POLICE MET THE FLT AND WAITED TO ARREST HER. THE REST OF THE FAMILY RAN OFF; NOT WANTING TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HER. THE CAPT DECIDED NOT TO PRESS CHARGES; BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO DO ALL THE PAPERWORK INVOLVED. HE JUST WANTED AN APOLOGY; WHICH SHE DIDN'T WANT TO DO; DENYING ALL ALONG THAT SHE DID ANYTHING WRONG. THE FEMALE GATE AGENT GOT HER TO ADMIT WHAT SHE DID AND APOLOGIZE TO THE CAPT.