The difference between cutting off welding cables and taking someone's "intellectual property" is like this...

If someone steals your cables, you no longer have them.

No matter how many times someone steals your intellectual property, you still have it.

You know what Cable TV companies, purveyors of plans, and prostitutes have in common? After they sell their product, they've still got their product!

Any other time, the customer owns the product after they buy it.