Woman earns stay in Surf City jail after botched hotel check-in

HUNTINGTON BEACH – A woman attempting to check-in to the luxurious beach side Waterfront Hilton was called out by the Hotel’s front desk staff when they suspected the credit card she was using was counterfeit. Apparently making little attempt to dispel this notion, the woman quickly exited the lobby and drove off, according to a Huntington Beach Police report.
The aborted check-in took place Monday afternoon, July 8, about 3:23 pm, and a Huntington Beach Crime Scene Investigator spotted the woman shortly thereafter as she headed north, away from the coast, up iconic Beach Boulevard. Police soon caught up and stopped the suspect’s vehicle. An investigation followed resulting in the arrest of the woman, who was identified as Krystal Rae Smith, 26, of Huntington Beach.

Police displayed the recovered items in Krystal Rae Smith's arrest.

During the investigation police discovered in Smith’s possession “piles of stolen checks, credit cards, driver licenses and passports “. Investigators estimate there could be as many as 100 different crime victims connected to Ms. Smith’s arrest, vehicle burglaries and mail theft appearing to be her preferred illicit methods.

Ms. Smith was booked into the Huntington Beach City Jail and faces a number of charges including burglary, fraud, possession of narcotics, possession of stolen property and driving on a suspended license for DUI.