Tom Selleck was once accused of stealing – this is how he settled the dispute

The tables were turned on Tom Selleck, the former star of Magnum P.I., whom under the watchful eye of a private investigator, was caught stealing water to feed his avocado farm, landing him in some hot water with the city.

Paying $22,000 to cover the costs of a private investigator, Selleck received no fines for actually taking the water during a massive drought, which he used for his crops of avocado, a fruit he says makes him “gag.”

Tom Selleck

The ruggedly handsome celebrity, adored by some for his beloved moustache, had his big break playing the character Thomas Magnum on Magnum P.I., where his performance as a Navy SEAL turned private investigator earned him a Primetime Emmy.

The show, which ended its eight-year run in 1988, had Selleck, now 78, locked into a contract that prevented from appearing in any other TV series or film, explaining his rejection of the starring role of Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, played by Harrison Ford.

The A-list actor went on to appear in films like Three Men and a Baby franchise, starring alongside Steve Guttenberg and Ted Danson, Quigley Down Under (1990) and In & Out (1997).

When he showed up in Friends in the recurring character of Dr. Richard Burke, the much older love interest of Monica, played by Courtney Cox, he quickly earned a new fan base.

Later he played the owner of a hotel and casino, who was a former marine, in 19 episodes (2007 to 2008) of the TV series Las Vegas.

Since 2010, Selleck can be seen in the TV series Blue Bloods, where he plays the leading role of NYC Commissioner Frank Reagan, who also served in the marines.

The prolific actor, who in real life served as a Sergeant with the National Guard from 1967 to 1973, has a hectic schedule, which he balances with life on an isolated avocado farm, that him and his family moved into in 1988, after he quit Magnum P.I.

Selleck and his wife, Jillie Mack, whom he married in 1987, had their daughter Hannah in 1988 and he needed an escape from Hollywood.

“I quit Magnum to have a family,” he said in an interview with People. “It took a long time to get off the train, but I try very hard to have balance, and this ranch has helped me do that.”

The star, who’s amassed a fortune from his iconic roles, says “I’m a fairly private person. And I’ve always treasured the balance between work and time with my family. It’s always about them.”