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Fayetteville Subdivisions Help Families Displaced By Arson

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FAYETTEVILLE — Two Fayetteville families, left homeless by arson, received a big boost of encouragement from friends all over the city on Saturday.

A rally in the Glen Reilly subdivision centered around Raymond Napper and Tracy Provoid. The two men and their families were burned out of their homes early Monday morning.

The families believe the fires were retaliation for trying to oust drug dealers from the park near their homes. Rally organizers want to send a message to criminals that they are being watched.

"In the past, we had pocket neighborhood watches, now everybody comes together," says community watch participant Moses Best. "Now they (drug dealers) have no place to hide when you go across the city."

Police urged concerned citizens to contact the authorities if they see any suspicious activity going on.

"If people here in the park look like they are doing criminal activity, we want the residents to pick the phone up and our officers will come out and check it out," says Capt. Brad Chander of the Fayetteville Police Department.

But as the crowd began to head home, a fight broke out between neighbors. Police say it was a misunderstanding and tried to smooth over the tension so they could get back to the task at hand.

"Neighborhoods are where it all starts and ends," says community watch participant Doc Shefler. "This city is no better than its worst neighborhood and no worse than its best."

Subdivisions from across the city were represented including Steadman, Gallup Acres, Deavonwood and Cottonade.

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