I was in business for 30+ years and fully understand the anger and frustration of theft, competition, protection of territory, etc.
BUT, when I finally got smart and looked back at, every minute I spent getting "even" with bad customers, vendors, competitors, etc. was wasted. It was energy that would have produced more revenue (and happiness) for my companies if I simply forged full speed ahead.
Take it for what it's worth. Revenge may be sweet, but a decent bank balance and financial security is sweeter. This is one reason why very large companies like Amazon, etc. are "no or few questions asked" in the returns department.
My concern for developers is that if they follow the wrong paths and take the wrong advice, they hurt themselves. Speaking for myself, I'd rather sell 200 units and have 10 stolen or returned than sell 100 and pat myself on the back for being so clever.
Again, it's easier to see in the rear view mirror. I now consult (free) for the kids of some of my peers who go into similar businesses and every time they call me with a "I'll get these folks for screwing me" rant, I tell them to forget about it and focus their energies on sales and customer service.
Been there, done that. When my veins were full of piss and vinegar I took a lot of revenge on my competitors...legal and fair, of course. But whether it did me any good? Probably not, except it sometimes made me feel better...