like can you get sued or get a C&D order or anything?

maybe a warning from your host or something but actual trouble, I doubt it. I run a few I didn’t pay for

shhh.

Unless you become super popular… How is the coder going to know you stole it?

can I get in trouble for a bootleg copy of windows?

all my sites are super popular.

nah

just make sure you keep it quiet around anybody, ya know, anti piracy… otherwise u could be fucked

No one will know if you’re using a bootlegged copy of Windows.

Everyone in the world can see your website.

Can the owner of a theme keep tabs on who is using it? Can they email you like "dood wtf you didn’t buy this?"

Can you modify it so they can’t tell? Maybe say "oh yeah dude, I liked yours so I used it as a guide while programming my own theme but changed a few things" or something?

Fuck it, just do it anyway. Don’t be such a pussy.

if the site starts making money…pay for it

that’s what i would do if i, hypothetically speaking, did the same thing.

This is my philosophy. If it makes you money above what it would cost to go legit, do it. It’s just smart.