Believe it or not, Doctor Who fans can buy their very own authentic police box. You too can have a TARDIS in your backyard, flat, recreation room, etc.

The Lothian and Borders police force, located in Scotland, has decided that it no longer needs 22 of the 42 police boxes that it currently owns. The boxes were originally designed to detain suspects; however, they are now largely used to store equipment and act as information booths.

The Scottish versions of the police box differ slightly from the classic TARDIS look in that they have peaked rather than flat roofs, and the windows are blocked out with X slats rather than six mini-panes.

According to The Scotsman, these boxes are likely to fetch large sums at auction.

Edinburgh auctioneer Charles Graham-Campbell of Bonhams believes Doctor Who fanatics will be desperate to snap up the ultimate piece of memorabilia.

A plywood Tardis, which was used as a prop in the TV series, was sold for £10,800 by Bonhams at an auction in 2010.

Mr Graham-Campbell said he would expect a real police box to fetch anything from £4000 to £6000.

He added: “I definitely expect that Doctor Who collectors would be interested. It’s one of the most iconic of all television programmes. The only other thing on-screen that approaches it in terms of collectability is James Bond.”

He added: “They’re quite adaptable buildings. It’s almost like going back in time to when they were used by street corner vendors, or you could have a taxi firm based in one. I think they will be sought after.

For a detailed list of which boxes are up for auction and auction procedures, see The Scotsman. The unfortunate downside to purchasing one of these items is that the new owner must repaint them in a color other than the classic blue because the police force does not want them mistaken for real, in-use boxes.

TARDIS replicas have been used in any number of creative ways around the world. One of the most creative is The Way Station bar in Brooklyn that has a TARDIS-themed bathroom. It truly is “bigger on the inside” given how its exterior is presented.

If you bought a police box at auction, what would you do with it?