Washington, Dec 12 (IANS): A Korean Presbyterian church in the US state of California has been vandalised with swastikas and German phrases in an apparent hate crime, local media reported on Monday.

The incident happened at the True Light Christian Church in Buena Park city of California. Church members said they found Nazi symbols and messages such as "toxic love" and "my honour" written in German on the building, the RT online reported.

The police were called to the church and they were investigating the vandalism as a possible hate crime.

"Unknown suspects had used spray paint to deface an outside wall with swastikas and other markings... based on the nature of the vandalism and the proximity to the church, this is being investigated as a possible hate crime," Buena Park police Sgt. Mike Lovchik said.

The church had previously been targeted by similar acts of vandalism with member Peter Lee saying that they have already spent over $1,000 cleaning up the church after similar acts in 2016.