Designing a web template

Designing a web template requires a lot of time and creativity. That is why I appreciate websites that have very nice templates. Some people and companies also like other sites templates to the degree that they are copying their design. While I understand that they might like a particular template, I do not think that this means they have the right to simply copy it. In case of not very popular websites probably nobody will notice. However, if a large company decides to do it, there might be some serious repercussions, including a court battle. Over the years, I read about such stories and it amazes me that people still think that there is no chance that they will get caught stealing unique templates. I think it is a lot better idea to use one of the free templates available, and later slightly modify it so that it suits our needs.