A 34-year-old man took the motto "The police, your friend and helper" to heart when he walked into the police station on Tuesday.

His problem was a personal one: He wanted to break up with his girlfriend but did not know how. He just did not understand her anymore, he said.

One of the female officers took him aside and proposed several alternative scenarios. The police force did not describe what options had been suggested to the man, but were very clear that the actual breaking-up was a job he would have to do himself.

"We are willing to advise, but we can not close the deal," the police reported afterward. "We help everyone, and we always have an open ear for citizens' concerns."

Whether the man took the advice is not yet known.

Ludwigshafen is a city on the Rhine River 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Frankfurt.

jm/sms (dpa, Ludwigshafen Police)

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