US man posing as janitor caught sneaking into Germany to visit girlfriend, authorities say

A 20-year-old U.S. man was stopped in the name of love earlier this week after attempting to sneak into Germany by posing as a janitor to visit his girlfriend, according to authorities. 

The incident, which occurred on May 10, began when the man flew from Washington, D.C. to Frankfurt Airport to meet his Germany-based girlfriend, German Federal Police told Paste BN Thursday. The man's identity was not disclosed due to data and privacy concerns, a police spokesman confirmed.

While airlines have maintained some flights between the United States and Germany during the pandemic, most U.S. nationals are not allowed to enter the country under current travel restrictions, Deutsche Welle reported.

Upon his arrival, the young Romeo put on a yellow neon vest and grabbed two black trash bags in an attempt to slip past an airport security checkpoint as a janitor, authorities added. The plan was eventually thwarted when an "attentive employee" alerted police after noticing the man's lack of security identification and his inability to speak German.

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When questioned by authorities, the man admitted to the plan as he saw no legal possibility to see his girlfriend, according to Deutsche Welle. He also did not reveal his girlfriend’s name because he "wanted to protect her," ABC News reported.

The "yearning-stricken" man was deported back to the U.S. after German authorities finished their investigation, police said in a statement.