Crocodile turns up at house for Christmas and no one knows who it belongs to

Here's an absolute croc of a story.

A one-metre-long freshwater crocodile was found "sitting quietly" by two residents in the front yard of a house on Christmas Day in Melbourne, Australia. They initially thought it was a large lizard.

A snake catcher, Mark Pelley, was called by police to capture the loose crocodile in the dark.

Despite the exotic discovery, no one has any idea where the crocodile came from, or who it belongs to. Crocodiles like these aren't found in the south of Australia, let alone in the suburbs of a major city.

"It was either someone's pet, caught lawfully or unlawfully, I don't know, and escaped. Or alternatively, it may have come from a truck up north and been a stowaway," he told Sunrise.

So far, four people have called police to claim the crocodile, but it's likely because an exotic animal like this isn't cheap.

"In Melbourne you'll maybe pay one to two thousand dollars for an animal like this big ... I think people are trying to get their hands on a free crocodile," Pelley added.

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A private licence is required by Victorian state law if you want a crocodile as a pet.

Pelley will hand the croc to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, where people need to provide proof that it's theirs.