YUMA, AZ- The charges involve thousands of dollars worth of water illegally tapped from a public water line. Over time that water translated to lots of money drained from tax payers.
Officer Cruz Vidal, with the Yuma Police Department says, "About 18 months ago, the Yuma Police Department received a report of a business tapping into the water lines."
That business is Diamond Brooks Water, owned by 48-year-old Philip Clark, and Tuesday morning two search warrants were served at both Diamond Brooks Water and his home.
YPD says over the course of the investigation they learned the business was making profit off of water that the business was unlawfully getting for free.
Officer Vidal says "My understanding is he would process it and then resale it to the public. In what forms, distilled or purified, I don't have that information."
Due to the nature of the investigation, YPD is being assisted by the internal revenue service and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Police say Diamond brooks water stole 74 million gallons of water from the City of Yuma and over a course of time that's a total loss of over $168,000.
Neither YPD or the IRS can confirm how long they believe Diamond Brooks Water has been stealing from the city and taking advantage of Yuma residents, but they will continue to investigate.
The IRS says no charges have been placed against Mr. Clark and therefore he remains a free man while the investigation continues.
The IRS is now heading up the case and there was no comment issued on Monday.
Additionally, News 13 tried contacting Philip Clark, the owner of Diamond Brooks to hear his side of the story, but have yet to hear back from him.
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