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With roughly five-hundred celebrity-programming-focused basic cable networks vying for coverage of the same dozen or so people on a daily basis, it's to be expected that the crushing pressure to land exclusive video footage of a famous person's house in the salacious act of resting on its foundation might occasionally drive an overzealous camera crew to flirt with illegality. Entertainment journalism watchdog TMZ.com, whose clean, groundbreaking "fart in a mitten" confrontation of Paris Hilton is still the standard by which all celebrity ambushes are judged, reports that an E! crew was caught in the act of trespassing on Brad Pitt's property last Thursday:

According to sources, two people from E! walked up to the back perimeter of Pitt's Hollywood Hills compound on a dirt driveway. Pitt's peeps tell TMZ that the crew unchained the gate, allegedly trespassed onto the actor's private property and began filming the exterior of his craftsman house. An E! spokesperson tells TMZ "From our initial investigation, that is not how the events occurred."

A source tells TMZ one of the construction workers spotted the E! crew and notified the contractor. The construction crew, who were visibly upset, tried to confiscate the camera, but we're told the cameraperson dove into a nearby van and locked the door. Brad's security were dispatched but the crew hastily took off.

The crew was detained by Pitt's security and released.

The embarrassed network quickly released an official statement to the site, revealing that they will investigate the avowedly unauthorized methods used by the producer and cameraman in chasing their story, while expressing hope that despite this unfortunate and public setback to their schedule, E!'s 101 Most Scandalicious Celebrity Break-Ins will still be ready for its November 12th airdate.