Police in Germany said they had received information about a possible threat to a synagogue in the western town of Hagen and had put appropriate measures in place to deal with it.

A spokesperson declined to give further details about the operation on Thursday evening, which coincides with the Jewish festival of Yom Kippur, when observant Jews hold overnight vigils in synagogues.

"We have information about a possible threat related to a Jewish institution in Hagen," Dortmund police said on Twitter. "Protection measures have been taken in response. We are in close contact with the Jewish community."

Local media reported that a number of armed police had been deployed to the synagogue in Hagen, a town of some 200,000 on the fringes of the industrial Ruhr region.

Police later added that the road passing directly in front of the synagogue was closed, but that they were escorting passers-by through the closed section on request.