A Thames Valley Police probe has landed William Lee behind bars for five years. The 47-year-old from White Horse, Uffington, was caught with a haul of dangerous weapons in a suspected cloned vehicle in Oxford.
Armed Stop at Oxford Shopping Centre
On 2 June 2025, just after 2pm, police spotted a black Nissan Navara Tekna flagged as a cloned car near Templars Square Shopping Centre in Cowley. Officers pulled over the vehicle and stopped to check Lee, the driver.
Weapons Cache Discovered During Search
Officers unearthed a shocking array of weapons inside the car:
- Military-grade flare gun
- Two machetes hidden in the footwell
- Wooden axe handle in the footwell
- Sawn-off shotgun found in a bag on the rear seats, cocked with two cartridges loaded
- 20 shotgun cartridges
- Wooden slingshot
Quick Justice at Oxford Crown Court
Lee was arrested on the spot and charged five days later. He pleaded guilty on 11 July 2025 to possession of the machetes and the sawn-off shotgun. Sentencing followed on 11 February at Oxford Crown Court, where he received a five-year jail term.
“If you have any information about people carrying weapons, please contact police on 101,” urged Thames Valley Police. For anonymous tips, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
