Tom Selleck went from being a fictional hero to a real-life villain when a legitimate private investigator exposed him.
Tom Selleck, most famously known for playing the virtuous and titular private investigator in the 1980s TV series Magnum, P.I., has (as was reported by The Daily Caller) been caught stealing water in California. Who cracked the case? Ironically, a real PI.
According to Fortune, Selleck settled the lawsuit by paying a whopping $21,000 to cover the fees spent on the PI. But what did Selleck actually do that set the investigator on his trail? And does this case offer some clues as to when you should consider hiring one?
Magnum PI’s Truckloads of Water
California has suffered through a historic drought for the past four years, leading to a 25% cut in water use across the board. As a result, residents have sometimes been forced to look elsewhere when wells dry up. And Selleck took that to the extreme in deciding to take matters into his own hands.
According to the Los Angeles Times, between 2013 and 2015, Selleck and his wife, Jillie, stole water from a public hydrant in California multiple times. How much water? Truckloads.
By stealthily using a white water tender truck — a sharp contrast from Magnum’s dashingly red Ferrari 208 GTS — the pair illegally hauled water from a Thousand Oaks hydrant to their 60-acre ranch and avocado farm located in the Hidden Valley Municipal Water District.
According to eyewitnesses like Anna Guzman, who could see the hydrant clearly from her front yard, a truck would routinely pull up at about 6 am to make off with its haul. To the Calleguas Municipal Water District’s 630,000 residents, all of whom have had to take drastic measures to ration their supply, the sight of a truck filling up from a local hydrant naturally caused some outrage.
Calleguas’ Solution: Hire a PI
Eventually, Calleguas Municipal Water District got fed up — as Selleck ignored their warnings and continued to blatantly steal precious H2O for himself.
Calleguas was already aware of Selleck’s illegal activities back in 2013 – specifically, of seven incidents between September 20 and October 3 of that year, according to the Guardian.
They sent cease-and-desist notices to Selleck’s house in November, but just three weeks later, it happened again. In fact, the truck was spotted refilling as recently as March of this year. “It’s always the same guy and truck,” said Rick Kaiser, a neighborhood resident.
To prove and support their case, Calleguas wisely hired a private investigator. Once the professional had amassed sufficient evidence, they filed a complaint, and the rest — along with Selleck’s heroic reputation — is history.
A Movie Star? Don’t Think You Can Get Away
“Underpinning these laws is the concept of basic fairness,” said Thomas Slosson, president of the Calleguas Municipal Water District, according to Fortune. Only district residents and businesses who pay for the construction, maintenance, and operation of the water system have rightful use of the water, he explains.
Not even movie stars are exempt from the far reaches of private investigators, as exemplified by the painstaking work and scrupulous findings of the PI who caught Selleck.
And there’s no need to fear when you have competent private investigators on the case, like those at Integrated Security Services, whose professional approach and confidentiality can help you with even the most difficult issues. Our Special Investigative Services provide a full range of comprehensive solutions, ensuring a thorough and reliable investigation to meet your most discrete needs.
It doesn’t matter how badly your avocados need watering. If you behave illegally, and a PI is hot on your heels, bad produce will be the least of your problems.
