Police are trying to determine if the harassment a Volusia County family has been enduring amounts to a hate crime.

Innocent Ngwa is a 24-year-old Embry-Riddle student from Africa who has lived in America for eight years, living in the Hunter's Ridge subdivision for several months.

A few weeks ago, Ngwa said he found a note near his door that read, "This neighborhood is not for your type, and I specifically bought a black dog just for you guys, so you better think twice."

Ngwa called the police, but more harassment began a few days later. The family found their garbage being moved and rotten hamburger meat on their porch.

They also came home to discover a pile of mulch dumped in their screened-in pool, a mess that took four hours to clean up.

Ngwa is now worried that all of the incidents will escalate into something far worse.

"They think the way the structure of this country has been built, they think racism has stopped? No, it's still going on," said Ngwa. "My wife was just scared. She was like, she can't stay here anymore. That is scary."

Police said they have not yet identified a suspect.

Ngwa's said he and his family are now looking a new home to feel safe.

Police are still looking at evidence, but so far, they only have enough to say a burglary was committed.