Acting Police Commissioner Michael Murphy told a press conference on Friday that an eight-year-old girl was playing in her front yard in Darwin's northern suburbs around 4.30pm on Thursday when an unknown man came in and grabbed her.

The girl fought the man off before he fled. However, he was chased down by the girl's family and is now in custody.

"She fought him off bravely," Commissioner Murphy said.

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"Then the male ran away, jumped a few fences and the residents chased him and apprehended him a couple of streets away on MacMillan's Road in Anula shortly after."

Commissioner Murphy asked for anyone who has any information on the incident to tell police.

"Tell us about it so we can help build a picture of his behaviour prior to the event."

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