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I came across an interesting story at the Summer Arts Festival last Friday and it has to do with stealing.

No.  Not people ripping off the artwork directly from the booth but in sneakier ways.

While the photographer recorded video of some of the booths, one of the artists wanted us to identify ourselves.

We didn't mind.  It happens a lot.

The artist wanted to know who we were to make sure we weren't Internet thieves.

It seems there's a niche group of people who scour the web for designs from painters, sculptors, designers, etc.

The artist told me there have been cases where photos of their unique pieces have been put on websites -- sometimes by the artists themselves -- only to find their exact creations reproduced and sold by other alleged artists at the same shows.

Sometimes it's work that has never before appeared at a show.

Like other jobs, even the art world is cut throat.