A Woodbridge resident says she feels “helpless” after someone allegedly stole her credit cards and spent more than $7,000 on purchases.

Ruta Songailaite, 27, says she noticed her cards were missing on April 25 after she went to dinner at a Jack Astor’s with a friend around 7 p.m.

When she tried to pay for her meal about three hours later, Songailaite realized her wallet was not there.

“Quickly after that, I looked on my online banking and I noticed that all my credit cards were being used, at which point I had locked all of my credit cards.”

By that point, however, it was too late. Someone had already spent thousands on her three credit cards.

“The largest purchase was made at the Apple Store at Yorkdale, the rest were just random charges — some within the Yorkdale shopping centre, some were just Cineplex and Rexall,” she said. “It’s a very upsetting thing to happen to someone, and it’s caused me a lot of grief and a lot of anxiety to try to resolve this.”

Songailaite says the smaller purchases were made on tap and about $2,000 was quickly returned to her. But she says her bank, RBC, is disputing a $5,000 charge made at the Apple Store.

“I feel more like a criminal rather than a victim, and that’s the worst part about it.”

Edith Galinaitis, director of executive communications at RBC, says the bank reviews “each instance of potential fraud or unauthorized transactions on a case-by-case basis.”

“Due to client privacy obligations, we are unable to comment on this matter.”

Songailaite says she just wants to warn people to be more careful with their purses and wallets.

“It can happen to anyone, and people should know that and start taking notice of what they have — what they carry with them — and how they can prevent that in some ways.”

Songailaite says it has been about six months she complained to RBC and she’s been told it will take another eight weeks before an investigation is completed. In the meantime, she says she is spending about $230 a month in interest payments.

York Regional Police confirm they are investigating both a theft complaint and three incidents of fraud.