Magnum P.I. actor Tom Selleck is facing a lawsuit for stealing truckloads of water from a fire hydrant for his ranch in drought-stricken Southern California.
L.A. Times reports that the vehicle used in the alleged water theft was a white water-tender truck. The Calleguas Municiapal Water District is accusing Selleck of stealing “huge amounts” of water from a public hydrant to be delivered to his ranch using the truck. In an ironic twist, the water district had a real P.I. on the case before they filed against the actor.
Nearly $22,000 was spent on the private investigator by the water district in order to document the theft. In the complaint filed by the CMWD in Ventura County Superior Court, Selleck is accused of filling up a white truck at a Thousand Oaks hydrant before hauling the stolen water to his 60-acre ranch over a dozen times since 2013.
CNN reports that the allegations against Selleck include two cease-and-desist letters from the Calleguas attorneys, after which Selleck continued to steal water.
“Before filing the complaint, the water district tried to get Selleck to halt the unlawful water deliveries,” reports the LA Times.
Before filing the complaint, the water district tried to get Selleck to halt the unlawful water deliveries. In November 2013, Calleguas sent cease-and-desist letters to both Selleck’s home and an Avenue of the Stars address that’s linked to the property.
The water district is seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction barring Selleck – and his employees – from taking water from the Calleguas district in addition to legal fees and investigative costs.
Overuse of water during the California drought has resulted in various apps that allow users to share photos of water wasters and the popular trending #droughtshaming on social media.
Recently, San Francisco was told they had to stop using river water from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in an effort to conserve water during the crippling drought facing California.
