I neither condone nor support people who do things like bring recording devices into a theater for the sole purpose of taping a film from the screen. People who do that should go to jail and if theater owners would take the initiative and allow nothing but concessions beyond the lobby it would nip that practice in the bud.
Jail? Really? Even if making a very inferior recording off a screen could be considered a theft, don't you think jail is a bit stiff? If some kid busted up your mailbox would you send them to jail?
Or perhaps LEAs and criminal courts should not be burdened by what is at most a very small tortious act - not a crime.
I'm in the IP business, and when someone violates my IPRs I threaten to sue if they don't stop. The problem here is that an industry cartel is hijacking law enforcement for their own purposes. Either we all get the same recourse as the MPAA and RIAA, or they don't. That's what "equal protection" means.