MELBOURNE - Is anyone missing a crocodile?

Two residents of Melbourne's leafy Heidelberg Heights in the north-east of the city got a shock on Christmas Day when they discovered a crocodile in the front yard of a local business while on a stroll.

Police called to the scene initially thought the residents were exaggerating, expecting to find a large lizard, reported The Sydney Morning Herald.

However, upon arriving at the Walora Road address after 8.30pm, they found a 1m-long reptile on the footpath.

A reptile catcher was called in to capture the saltwater crocodile, which will remain in the care of the reptile catcher until the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning can collect it.

It is unclear where the crocodile came from or how it came to be in the front yard of the closed business.