The Superintendent said crime is on a continuous downward trend in Katherine, with preliminary statistics for the year to November showing a reduction of more than 20 per cent.

"Despite the positive decreases, it is not time to be complacent," was the message spruiked today at the Katherine Community Safety Expo."

Police, rangers, paramedics, firefighters, and road safety officers were out in full force, with plenty of safety information to pass on.

"We are coming up to the time of year where in the past we have seen more property crime, tricky driving conditions, floods and emergencies," Superintendent Shean said.

"We don't want road deaths, we don't want an increase in property crime and we don't want drownings."

As Katherine slowly becomes a ghost town with the bulk of residents travelling home for Christmas, opportunity rises for break-ins.

The messaging is simple: lock it or lose it.

"We can't change the intent of the person, but we can reduce the opportunity," Superintendent Shean said.

"The simple act of securing your property will reduce the opportunity. Unfortunately, we can't do much about the criminal desire of a person."

For the times something does go wrong, Neighbourhood Watch has launched a new initiative to make it easier for NT Police, Fire and Emergency services to know who to contact over the holiday period.

Absentee Advice Forms will now be available at the Darwin airport and can be filled out online.

Providing as much contact information to police is just one of the many tips Neighbourhood Watch was spreading today.

But creating the perception the house is occupied is key.

Leaving lights on a timer, making sure the mail box is emptied by a neighbour and ensuring the lawn is kept neat and tidy, were some of the team's helpful tips.

Find out more on staying safe here.

While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox each Friday at 6am from the Katherine Times. To make sure you're up to date with all the news, sign up here.