Man nabbed for trying to steal famous document in British history

London : British police said on Friday that they have arrested a hammer-wielding man in Salisbury, England, for trying to steal Magna Carta, one of the most famous documents in British history.

Alarms went off when an attempt was made to smash the glass box which protects the charter, reports Xinhua news agency. The document was not damaged and nobody was injured, police said.

The Magna Carta, an English historical writ that enshrined the principles of the rule of law, was issued by King John of England in 1215.

The document is housed in Salisbury Cathedral. A visitor was seen "smashing the case of the Magna Carta with a hammer and trying to destroy it" on Friday, according to media reports.

A press photo showed that the hammer made three holes in the top layer of protective glass.