Actor Tom Selleck has been charged with stealing water to irrigate his avocado farm and ranch in Southern California, water authorities in Ventura County say.
The "Blue Bloods" actor filled up a water tank on a commercial truck from a public fire hydrant 12 times and had the water brought to his property, the Calleguas Municipal Water District alleges in lawsuit filed on Monday against Selleck and his wife, Jillie,
Courthouse News Service reports.
The water district says that it paid more than $21,000 to an investigator, who documented the alleged water thefts by Selleck.
From Sept. 20 to Oct. 3, 2013, a commercial water truck took water from a hydrant near a construction site in Thousand Oaks seven times and brought the water to "the Hidden Valley area where the Selleck property is located," the lawsuit says.
Calleguas says that it sent cease-and-desist letters to Selleck in November 2013, telling the "Magnum P.I." actor to stop taking water, but that he continued to do so.
The same commercial water truck was spotted taking water on four separate dates in March, the water district alleges.
Selleck and his wife own a 60-acre ranch and avocado farm in Westlake Village, near Hidden Valley. They have lived there for almost three decades,
according to the Los Angeles Times.
The water district wants Selleck to pay the fees for the investigator, attorneys' fees, and be barred from taking any more water.
California is grappling with a historic drought in which residents are being asked to cut their water usage 25 percent around the state.
According to the Times, affluent areas in Southern California, such as Beverly Hills, where many Hollywood actors live, use significantly more water per capita than other cities.
The Washington Post reported in June that a nudist resort near San Jose was charged with stealing water from a creek. Other California residents have been hit with similar allegations as well.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.