<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A beloved Darwin tourist attraction and reptile education centre has been targeted by a brazen thief who unlawfully entered the premises, stole a Holden Rodeo ute and used it to ram through multiple gates.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The offender appeared to have broken into Crocodylus Park after jumping a boundary fence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The unknown male allegedly forced entry into multiple buildings at the park about 12am yesterday, with CCTV footage also capturing the thief picking up a 65-centimetre crocodile and taking selfies with it before placing it on the ground.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sunshine-north-delivery-driver-punched-and-kicked-during-assault-inside-mcdonalds-store/68ccba1d-9634-4204-8c7a-aee66e73c89c" rel="" target="" title="Delivery driver punched and kicked during assault inside Maccas outlet"><strong><span>Delivery driver punched and kicked during assault inside Maccas outlet</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Park Manager Emily Moyes said the young crocodile measuring 65 centimetres managed to escape but remains missing at the park.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Very lucky and fortunate that this particular individual hasn't decided to take the crocodile with him," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They're pretty smart, so he'll be going along, hiding as he goes and probably enjoying himself in a new body of water somewhere."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/crocodylus-park-cctv-captures-thief-releasing-young-crocodile-before-stealing-car-in-darwin/dccbcaac-1a58-48c2-99ff-afdb98abd108" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The park's staff are confident the saltwater crocodile will be located within a few days, though it wasn't the only animal harmed during the ordeal.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Moyes also told 9News that the offender attempted to steal five vehicles, damaging two of them, before successfully escaping in the Holden ute which has since been found at Casuarina Beach.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/former-woolworths-ceo-brad-banducci-lands-new-role-at-ticketek-parent-company-teg/cfcbf30a-6100-426a-86ed-dc56bd2cfe5b" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Former Woolworths chief executive lands new role at ticketing company</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We've lost a car, it's been burnt out so we've got a mechanic in. It will be well over $15,000," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Which is really hard for a small family business. We are privately run and tourism is a tough business as hard as it is. This is a huge setback for us."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The thief also ran over a family of ducks before making his escape in the stolen car.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"In the footage, you can clearly see him running over the family. It's not very nice at all," Moyes continued.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We have seen them again, but we do have a few missing."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>NT Police are investigating the incident, however, 9News understands no one has been arrested.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Anyone with information about the incident is urged to make contact on 131 444 or quote reference number NTP2500026561.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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