By Jennifer Glickel
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
TIMES SQUARE — A day after peddler Raymond Martinez was fatally shot outside of the Marriott Marquis Hotel the only people selling CDs in Times Square were standing behind cash registers.
Martinez was one of many street peddlers who prey on tourists and young pedestrians in busy areas of Manhattan to support the peddlers' livelihoods as would-be recording artists.
"Basically their pitch is 'Hey man, check out my music,'" said Britt, a Broadway show promoter who passes out fliers in Times Square on a daily basis. "They ask people for their names, sign the CD to them with an autograph like they're famous, and say that it's free. But as people walk away with the CD in hand, they'll ask for donations."
Those whose jobs it is to stand on the street advertising for shows have a front row seat to the peddlers' daily swindling production. John, a stand-up comedy show promoter who works on the same block as many of the CD peddlers, knows their tactics well.
"They force people to make donations by intimidating them," John said. "They're very aggressive and they're in peoples' faces constantly. They basically bully people into giving them money. Tourists are definitely scared of them."
One approach that John often sees the peddlers take with tourists is to point to the MTV studios on Broadway between 44th and 45th Streets saying that they're using the money they make from CD donations to make a music video for MTV.
Martinez, who John referred to as a "regular that was out here every single day," would work with friends to bring home a sizeable amount of money.
"If someone reaches for their wallet, six more sellers will surround him or her and hawk their CDs," he said. "They make really good money. I've watched some of them make $200 or $300 in an hour."
The sellers generally target tourists and teenagers, according to both John and Britt.
"It's obvious they're conning people," Britt said. "We don't know what's actually on those CDs. I'd imagine some of them are legitimate, but I'm sure most of them are fake."
There was not a single CD peddler in sight in Times Square on Friday. For the time being, at least, tourists will get a respite from Manhattan's CD bullies.
