From the Department of Amusingly Daft Things That Total Fanboys Do on Larks (DADTTTFDL) comes a report that someone has stolen a Dalek from a British tourist attraction and is holding it for ransom. Daleks, in case you’re not geeky enough to know, are the arch-enemies of the cult TV hero Doctor Who. A race of cyborg mutants encased in rolling shells that vaguely resemble giant fire hydrants, the Daleks are basically stock sci-fi villains in that they’re always trying to take over the universe and kill any life-form they deem inferior to themselves (that would be all of them). (The Wikipedia has an insanely detailed entry on Daleks that includes photos, history, and social commentary on the “Dalek phenomenon,” if you’re interested.)

According to the news story, the missing Dalek is supposed to be an original prop from the BBC series and could be worth thousands of pounds. The “kidnappers” removed one of the prop’s “arms” and left it on a doorstep with a ransom note that says they are “awaiting further instructions from the Doctor.” Hopefully they’re just kidding and don’t really expect to be contacted by a time-travelling goofball… although that may happen, too, since the news story linked above notes that:

Former Dr. Who actor Colin Baker has been in touch with staff at the attraction, and may be asked to send a message to the kidnappers.

Could this all be an elaborate ruse cooked up just to meet a celebrity? Hard telling… I’ll keep you posted with any follow-up news on this critical situation.

(Incidentally, I used to be a pretty major Who fan back in high school, and I actually met Colin Baker at a “meet-and-greet” autograph session way back in the glorious ’80s. Charming fellow, very tall…)