It is getting very difficult for thieves to keep the items they have stolen due to the advancements of technology. But that's not stopping phone thieves from carrying out their dirty deed on a daily basis, as over 3.1 million Americans were subjected to smartphone robbery in 2013.

Interestingly enough, over 70 percent of the number of Americans who were robbed in 2013 are willing to become vigilantes in order to have their devices returned to them. The majority said they would put themselves in dangerous positions to find their stolen smartphone, or even just to retrieve sensitive information stored on the device.

Not every smartphone owner is willing to come face-to-face with a thief. Instead, many chose to call the police moments after the theft, while others are willing to use technology to track the location of their devices. Some even attempt to wipe their device remotely, though it is not certain how often this works.

70 to 80 percent of previous victims of phone thefts usually take measures to prevent another theft of their new devices, according to Lookout's Phone Theft in America report. They tend to do research on smartphone and laptop security, download apps that can help prevent theft, or to locate a stolen device, among many other things.

"The reality is that whether your smartphone is white, black, or gold, it is now almost 30 times more valuable per ounce than a block of solid silver-and almost as easy to convert discreetly into cash," the Lookout report said.

This report also shows why folks must be more careful in public with their devices. Over 45 percent of phone theft victims managed to forget their phone in a public area, while 11 percent experienced their device being grabbed from their hand or a purse.

How much would you pay to retrieve a stolen device?

Are you one of the 50 percent of phone theft victims who are willing to pay upwards of $500 to retrieve data? Alternatively, the one in three victims who are willing to pay upwards of $1,000. These people are a good representation on why folks must back up their data into the cloud for safekeeping, or on an external storage device.

To help protect your device for free, we recommend downloading Prey. This software will track your smartphone and tablet if it should go missing. Now, if you want something that will work even when the thief formats your device, then we recommend Absolute Software from LoJack, but it will cost you.