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Stolen cellphones will emit a deafening high-pitched scream if taken from a rightful owners hands. It’s almost cartoon-like when I think of it. Thief picks up cellphone, phone screams like a little baby.

Now if your mobile telephone is stolen, you can scream â€â€? and your phone can, too. A new service launched Monday is designed to deter mobile phone theft by equipping telephones with an ear-piercing scream. The screaming won’t stop unless the battery is removed. Even if the thief replaces the phone’s SIM card, the handset will not work. All customers’ information is centrally stored, so contacts, ringtones, pictures, texts and other data can be retrieved when a new handset is purchased. The service costs about $18 a month.

$18/mo for a cellphone theft deterrent and automatic backup service? Would anyone consider shelling out that monthly?