In American history, there are few electronic devices that we have grown more dependant on than our cell phones.

And, fewer yet that are misplaced or forgotten more often.

Because the cell phone is constantly with us, these gadgets can be lost in a variety of places, including malls, retail stores, even churches and other places of worship.

Depending on our method of travel, we often misplace our phones in cars, buses or on subways.

In large cities like Chicago, cell phones are the leading electronic device found most often in the back seats of taxi cabs. In fact, according to a PC World article, over 80,000 of these gadgets are found in Windy City taxies alone each year.

While most cell phones eventually make their way back to their owners, a growing number eventually end up stolen.

Why would a thief want with a cell phone?

In the past, when our cell phones were used only as a means of communication, a thief often stole a phone to rack up hundreds - and sometimes thousands - of dollars in fraudulent calls.

While this is still popular a method for most cell phone thieves, there may be more ominous reasons for a thief to want your phone.

Depending on the information you've stored on your phone, a stolen phone can actually increase your risk of identity theft.

How?

When you think about it, our cell phone contains a lot of information about us and the people we know. We often store:

Contact Information: such as names, addresses and phone numbers of our family, friends and business acquaintances.

Financial Information: including bank and credit card numbers, safety deposit box information and others. A few of us store more sensitive information, such as a spouse or child's Social Security Number.

Access Information: such as Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), passwords, along with other codes used to access our private information.

In the best case scenario, thieves could use the phone's contact list to sell to mass marketing firms or the growing market of data brokers found on the internet.

The worst case scenario?

If thieves finds enough information from your cell phone to piece together, they can easily steal your identity, apply for credit, or wipe out your bank account.

In the event that your cell phone is lost, or presumed stolen, here's what to do:

(1.) Call your carrier immediately to suspend your cell phone service. The sooner, the better! You'll be liable for any calls placed on the phone before the service suspended, so it's best to hurry.

(2.) File a theft report with the police in the county you believe the cell phone was taken. You'll be issued a case number for the report. Keep it handy! Your carrier will most likely request it, and if your phone was insured, that agency will need a copy too.

(3.) Notify Financial and Credit Institutions such as banks, credit bureaus and other financial businesses if the cell phone contained sensitive information regarding business with that agency. Have them flag your account. This should deter most criminals from gaining access to your finances.

For now, the best way to protect your cell phone and personal information is to lock the phone after every use.

Sure, it's an inconvenience. But, it's also the easiest way to prevent any unauthorized access to both your phone's service and data.