AUBURN – Police and volunteers this weekend will head downtown with buckets and scrub brushes to tackle the ongoing problem of graffiti.

Police say specific areas have been particularly targeted by vandals with spray paint. Those areas include the River Walk, the Snake Trail at Edward Little High School, Pettingill Park and, mysteriously, a number of electrical boxes throughout the downtown area.

“Graffiti or vandalism left alone only welcomes more,” Auburn deputy police Chief Jason Moen wrote in a press release. “Young people become bolder to damage property already damaged.”

With that in mind, police and others will gather at 8:45 a.m. Saturday at their station on Minot Avenue.

Volunteers will split into teams and head out to begin a day of scrubbing and hosing.

Cleaning products will be provided. Organizers advise volunteers to wear old clothes if they want to chip in.

Anyone interested in participating or who wants to report graffiti that needs to be removed can call the Auburn Police Department at 333-6650 or e-mail Chief Phil Crowell at [email protected].