Cathy Wurzer  

Members of Congress are looking into ways to reduce smartphone thefts.

Former Minneapolis mayoral candidate Mark Andrew was beaten for his phone at the Mall of America recently, and other high profile cases have also gotten attention.

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar says she hopes to hold hearings in 2014 on ways to reduce the thefts.

"There are many reports that there's technology out there that would be a kill switch that allows them to immediately basically wipe the phone of information and makes it a lot less valuable," Klobuchar said. "Remember, what we really want to do is deter the theft, so if it becomes widespread that you're not going to make anything from these phones because they won't work when you steal them, then that makes a difference."

Klobuchar says she's asked the cellphone carriers why they haven't already implemented such technology. She says cellphone theft costs U.S. consumers $30 billion a year.