Fear in the Crochet Community

Lately I've been hearing more and more artists getting their work stolen to the point where it's happened twice that I've seen a thief claiming big name artists work as their own. I don't get it! There are so many people and so many ideas and so much happening in this world. A person does not need to steal ideas. They could even learn another artists work, and use their exact math and numbers and sizing, but create their own unique style. You only steal when you're a lazy, dishonest person, that doesn't care about others. What's wild is that people I've seen stealing work, I snoop their page, and do some reverse google image searches, and sometimes find that they actually create their own unique pieces but just one day decided to steal to promote themselves or draw attention to their page maybe? Either way, there's no logical reason for it. Go back and steal from a dead artist or something. Then you're not hurting a living human beings livelihood. Look out for those people and if you see this happening, and know the original artist, let them know! It could be the difference between their art performing or not. This seriously makes me scared release any pattens out of fear people will straight steal my work! I know I have original designs my heart would BREAK if someone stole them. It sucks! Wish me luck as a fish in a sea of shark in the crochet ocean.