How far would you go to retrieve your smartphone?

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Many victims of smartphone theft would be willing to pay big or even put themselves in physical danger get their devices back, according to a new report by mobile security firm Lookout.

In 2013, 3.1 million Americans were victims of smartphone theft, according to Consumer Reports -- nearly double the number reported in 2012. More than two-thirds of them never saw their phones again.

The Lookout report points out that whether your phone is an iPhone or Android, it is now 30 times more valuable per ounce than a brick of solid silver -- and easy for a thief to convert into cash. But for the victim, it's not just about the value of the phone itself, it's also a matter of the personal data stored there. With nearly half of all adult Americans owning smartphones, these devices store more gigabytes than ever of personal information -- including contacts, banking information, email, photos and more.

According to Lookout, 50 percent of victims surveyed say they would be somewhat to extremely willing to pay $500 just to retrieve personal information from their stolen device. One-third of victims say they'd pay $1000.

Perhaps even more surprising was the fact that 68 percent of victims were willing to put themselves in some danger to get their device with all their precious data.