Residents on Ridgewood Avenue in Yonkers awoke to find vulgar and racist graffiti spray painted along their sidewalks and buildings Friday.Residents and business owners say they were shocked to find the offensive graffiti in their neighborhood. Not even the corner deli was spared, as graffiti was blasted along its exterior wall. The Yonkers D.P.W. sent one of its workers to clean up the mess.

Police are canvassing the area to find the culprits. Because there was at least one reference to gangs, the case will be referred to Yonkers gang detectives.