Police had a dilemma of a different kind in the Northern Territory after a crocodile wandered uncomfortably close to the police station.

Members of the public found the 1.5-metre crocodile in a garden bed of the Berrimah station about 10:00pm on Wednesday, but after a police search, the reptile could not be located.

However, later in the evening police stumbled on the crocodile, lying in a rocky garden bed, about 30 metres from the station's front entrance.

Duty Superintendent Louise Jorgensen said expert crocodile catchers were called and safely removed the reptile.