HOBART, Ind. (AP) — A woman pickpocketed by thieves who ran up nearly $7,000 in purchases with her credit cards says the episode taught her a hard lesson.

Diane Roberts was shopping last month at a Wal-Mart in Hobart when another woman struck up a conversation at the meat counter and asked her to hand her a turkey sausage package.

As she grabbed the package, another woman standing behind Roberts unzipped her purse and stole her wallet. Roberts found it was missing five minutes later in the checkout line.

"I was such an easy target and so willing to help and talk. I just took sight off my purse," she said.

The thief checked out of Wal-Mart with $500 in merchandise and handed Roberts' bank and credit cards to two accomplices who made a beeline to Toys R Us, Best Buy and Sears, buying $1,000 gift cards. They also hit three ATMs in the northwestern Indiana area for $500 each.

Within 30 minutes, Roberts was out nearly $7,000. Her wallet contained her bank and credit cards, her ATM password on a slip of paper and all of her family members' Social Security numbers.

"They even got to the Christmas gift cards that I didn't have time to spend," she said.

Hobart Police Lt. Steve Houck said the suspects also used the gift cards in Illinois, so they could face interstate fraud charges.

Sears and Wal-Mart security cameras captured images of the suspects, but police have made no arrests. A woman later returned to the store and tried to use one of Roberts' cards. In the checkout line, a clerk realized it was stolen but did not alert anyone due to a fear of confrontation.

Roberts will be reimbursed by her bank and credit card companies for the fraudulent purchases. But she's changed how she shops. She rarely uses a purse, and only carries her cell phone, driver's license and one credit card with her during any shopping trip.

"I learned a lot, and I've changed a lot of what I do," she said.