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AAP
AAP
(A)manda Parkinson

Federal support needed as crime in outback town climbs

Leaders have called for additional police support as crime in Alice Springs spikes. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Alice Springs is again reeling from a vicious home invasion as police say violent crime is on the rise.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro and Police Commissioner Michael Murphy flew to Alice Springs on Thursday morning after an alleged home invasion left a two-month-old baby with severe head fractures.

Police say the home invasion occurred on Wednesday and the infant was airlifted to Royal Adelaide Hospital where she remains in a stable condition.

"Since the third of December, there's been a number of serious crimes in Alice Springs, ranging from abduction sexual assaults, home burglaries, home invasions, and stealing motor vehicles," Mr Murphy told media.

Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy
Northern Territory Police Commissioner Michael Murphy says people should feel safe in their homes. ((A)manda Parkinson/AAP PHOTOS)

He said it was "totally unacceptable" people didn't feel safe in their own homes and he would dedicate more resources to the outback, with additional resources being sent from Darwin.

However, Mr Murphy stopped short of using his powers to implement another curfew, as seen earlier this year.

Ms Finocchiaro told reporters the people involved in the alleged assault were "well-known to police and currently on bail".

NT Police said two teens, aged 16 and 17, had been arrested by police shortly after the assault.

She said the people of Alice Springs had been let down and neglected.

"I'd like to acknowledge also that there are a lot of very angry people in this town who feel frustrated, scared, hurt by what has taken place over recent weeks, and they deserve to be angry," she said.

"When people say they feel let down by the system, the reality is, people in Alice Springs have been let down."

She reiterated her government's plan to address crime as rates traditionally spike over the summer holidays.

Federal Labor member for Lingiari Marion Scrymgour said she would develop an intergovernmental panel to deal with the crisis and would call on her federal colleagues, including Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy to assist.

She urged the NT Police to formally request additional commonwealth support.

Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson was "heartbroken" as the town again wrestled community safety.

"The situation is bigger than the resources we have. We need help from other jurisdictions, whether that's AFP or SA Police," he told Newscorp.

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