WATCH: Chinese security robots look uncannily like ‘Dr. Who’ bad guys

They may not have lasers or toilet plungers for arms but otherwise China’s newly acquired security robots look remarkably like Daleks – evil aliens in the BBC television show Doctor Who bent on destroying all life in the universe.

According to the official Chinese Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily, the security robots, called AnBot, were shown at the 12th Chongqing Hi-Tech Fair April 21.

They can patrol Chinese streets without assistance and can also be deployed in protests as riot control.

They’ll unlikely be screeching “Exterminate!” once they are deployed but a lot of people on Twitter – including everyone’s favourite whistle blower Edward Snowden – can’t help but show their reservations on using law enforcement robots.

Back in 2014, CBS News San Francisco reported that K5 security robots, who also have a Dalek-esque appearance, were being used as private security for companies in Silicon Valley.