VALRICO, Fla. — The United States Postal Service is offering a new tool to help alert customers of missing mail.
"A little disheartening to know that someone had come in into your mailbox," said Julie Nunez, of Valrico.
Nunez has spent this week checking her credit card and bank statements as she was recently the victim of mail theft.
Hillsborough County investigators say Candice Cooney went on a stealing spree last week in Valrico.
Related: Pair caught stealing mail in Hillsborough County neighborhood
"We weren't even aware that our mail had been taken because… how do you really know?" asked Nunez.
A new service by USPS aims to crack down on stolen mail and prevent identity theft.
Informed Delivery sends customers black and white photos of every piece of mail and packages before 9 a.m. The pictures are taken at the processing center before being loaded onto mail trucks.
"You would know it immediately," said Nunez. "Not days or weeks later when the sheriff's department shows up with your mail in an evidence bag."
The free service first arrived in South Florida and so far, more than 11 million people have joined nationwide.
"An easy solution to a big problem," said Nunez.
You can create an account for Informed Delivery by USPS here.
