Footage of children allegedly taking part in a riot outside the Northern Territory's Palmerston Shopping Centre has appalled community leaders and residents.

Key points: Three children and three adults were arrested outside Palmerston Shopping Centre

Three children and three adults were arrested outside Palmerston Shopping Centre The city's Mayor said she was appalled

The city's Mayor said she was appalled Tensions over youth crime have long simmered in Palmerston

Three children, aged 12, 13 and 17, and three adults, aged 18, 20 and 31, were arrested after the violent disturbance that allegedly saw a security guard assaulted.

Tensions about youth crime have long simmered in the satellite city, 20 kilometres east of Darwin.

On Saturday night, vision was captured of a group kicking in windows and using shopping trolleys to smash doors.

NT Police allege the group armed themselves with sticks and poles as shopping centre security guards tried to move them on.

Police said one security guard was assaulted by a woman and others threw objects at the guards.

The children were released for youth diversion and the adults charged with a number of offences — including assault, taking part in a riot, armed with an offensive weapon and damage to property.

Investigators are appealing to anyone who witnessed the disturbance or has footage to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. You can choose to remain anonymous.

Palmerston Mayor Athina Pascoe-Bell said she had seen the video footage.

"It was really appalling, I felt really sorry for businesses, the security guards," she said.

'Many complexities to this issue'

Acting Police Minister and Member for Drysdale Eva Lawler said she was "horrified" and "appalled" by the footage and would meet with the NT Police Commissioner about it on Monday.

She claimed the Government had done a large amount of work addressing crime in Palmerston, making the incident particularly frustrating.

She cited a three-point plan targeting youth crime, that focused on working with families, early intervention to stop drug and alcohol use and a new youth justice centre planned at Pinelands.

Yet data released in November last year showed there was a 42.8 per cent increase in commercial break-ins in the city since the year before.

"There are so many complexities to this issue," Ms Lawler said.

"We have put down a plan for crime in Palmerston. We need to give that a really good go to make sure that has a chance of working.

"We need to make sure that those young people, that if they're with families that aren't doing the right thing that those families are supported, that those children are supported, that those children are put on a path to a successful and healthy life."

On Friday, Ms Lawler told the ABC that it had 330 applications from Northern Territory business owners wanting to update their security against break ins through its Biz Secure program, with $1.6 million in grants approved to date.

Another 13 applications had been made for its Alcohol Secure program, which helps licensed premises update security, with about $200,000 in grants approved.

She also said more, better-resourced police will be put on the beat and that frontline staff will not be impacted by the NT Government's current budget crisis.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner told radio station Mix 104.9 the offenders should be appropriately punished.

"The disturbance over the weekend is shocking. I've got nothing but respect for the security guard, who essentially tried their best," he said.

"And obviously for the police who responded, and have made those arrests."

'Take some action'

But Opposition Leader Gary Higgins said more immediate action needed to be taken by government to target crime in Palmerston.

"It's about time they changed a lot of their rhetoric and started to actually take some action," he said.

"While we've got commercial break-ins running at 40 per cent in Palmerston, that is actually not an improvement."

He called for better resourcing for police and a reinstating of youth diversion "boot camps".

"These kids are criminals," Mr Higgins said.

"They are breaking the law and costing business and they should be treated in that way.

"We need to get the parents involved and make them responsible.

"We should also be looking at boot camps, which this Government closed, reopening those. They are a better option.

"We should also be looking at custodial officers looking after them, not youth workers."