Tom Selleck accused of water theft

Alawsuit accuses actor Tom Selleck of stealing truckloads of water from a public hydrant and bringing it to his ranch in drought-stricken Southern California.

A Ventura County water district claims a tanker truck filled up at a hydrant on more than a dozen occasions and hauled the water to a 24hectare spread in Westlake Village owned by the Magnum, P.I. and Blue Bloods star.

Court documents dated June 30 say the Calleguas Municipal Water District spent nearly $22,000 (U.S.) to hire a private investigator to document the alleged thefts, which date back two years.

The lawsuit comes after California communities were ordered to cut water use by 25 per cent compared with 2013 levels amid a four-year dry spell.

Representatives for Selleck did not return messages seeking comment Wednesday.