Police shocked to find 3m croc in front yard

Police were shocked to find a three-metre saltwater crocodile sitting in the front yard of a home at a remote Northern Territory community yesterday.

Officers found the crocodile in a pool of water at a home in Gunbalunya, about 300 kilometres south-east of Darwin.

"Police passing by saw the crocodile lazily sitting in a pool of water and a garden hose spraying it in the front yard of one of the houses there," Duty Superintendent Daniel Sheen said.

"The curious police cautiously entered the yard and observed that its legs and mouth were bound and spoke to the occupiers of the premises about his new security system."

He says it turned out the croc had been taken from a nearby waterhole.

"It appears that two of the community members found the crocodile loitering about a popular community swimming hole," he said.

"Concerned for the safety of the community, the good Samaritans caught the crocodile and relocated it to this fellow's yard.

"They had intentions to further relocate it with the assistance of the Parks and Wildlife Service."

The reptile was eventually released into the East Alligator River.

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