WESLACO – A new Texas law establishes a punishment for people who take mail that is not theirs.

Edicta Plasencia says there have been countless times she has had her mail stolen.

“Sometimes when the mail carrier leaves the mail package in front of my house and when I go check if it's there – the package is nowhere to be found,” she says.

The state of Texas is to charge individuals just for possessing mail, regardless of its inherent value.

Associate attorney Orlando Garcia says this new law was made to curve identity theft.

He says there was only a federal law involving theft; if the item didn't have value, thieves couldn't be charged.

Now mail such as letters with basic personal information will be protected.

Anyone who wants to report mail theft can visit the United States Postal Inspection Service website.

For more information watch the video above.