Cops raid business linked to knockoffs

Jen Lawson

Monday, Nov. 1, 2004 | 11:38 a.m.

Stuart "Steve" Conn was convicted last year of selling counterfeit purses, shoes and accessories bearing high-end brand names such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Prada out of a store called Designer Incognito.

But that didn't stop him from opening a new counterfeit retail operation dubbed It's a Woman Thing in an office suite at Jones Boulevard and Sahara Avenue, Metro Police said.

On Friday Metro's organized crime section once again put Conn out of business. Detectives raided the store and impounded more than 1,300 items, filling 58 boxes with allegedly fake luxury purses and other items.

"Some people think this isn't a big deal, that it's a victimless crime, but it's not," Lt. Kathleen Suey said.

Because the items aren't taxed, the state is losing revenue, and profit from counterfeit goods is sometimes used to fund terrorist activities and other crimes, Suey said.

Joe Bogar, 32, whom police believe is a co-owner of the operation, and Anne Lyerly, a 57-year-old saleswoman, were both led out of the store in handcuffs. They were arrested on charges of displaying a false trademark, which is a felony.

Conn, 71, is expected to be brought before a grand jury. He wasn't in the store when it was raided.

Police suspect there are many operations selling knockoffs in the Las Vegas Valley, but Conn "happens to be the most flagrant," Sgt. Mike Bunker said; Metro doesn't have the manpower to go after every one.

The store was in the Eldora Professional Center, an unassuming office building. There was no sign; police said customers found out about it through word-of-mouth.

Someone at another business in the same building became suspicious after seeing a steady stream of well-heeled women arriving in luxury cars and going in and out of the office suite.

Two women who work in the building were outside watching police raid the business.

They said they had been in the store before but weren't impressed.

"They have everything from Coach to Louis Vuitton to Prada," said a woman who would only give her name as Kristin. "But I thought, 'I'm not going to buy a knockoff.' "

"I knew it was a matter of time before they were caught," said a woman who just gave her name as Lili.

Police spent several hours loading up the merchandise and cataloguing it.

A few people walked up to the store while the raid was occurring, then quickly left.

To the untrained eye, the items could appear authentic.

But aficionados of Prada bags, for example, will notice that the real bags have metal zippers, a woven fabric lining with the brand name stitched onto it. The fakes have plastic zippers and plastic lining.

"I'm just a poor humble cop. They look good to me," Bunker said of the phony items.

Plenty of customers thought so, too.

The store made a profit of about $6,000 a day, Suey said, and during the raid police found $1,800 that the store netted between 9:30 and 11 a.m. Friday.

A authentic bag that would sell for $3,000 would sell for $300 at Conn's store, Bunker said.

Conn's Designer Incognito operation was shut down in July 2003 after Metro received a tip from a trademark investigator with Kate Spade, a bag and accessory manufacturer.

During that raid police filled 124 boxes with 1,877 items. Conn pleaded guilty to counterfeiting charges but never served any prison time, Bunker said.

The operation is so profitable, police said, that they wouldn't be surprised if Conn continues to sell fake goods. But police will be watching.

"Will he be back out? Yes," Bunker said. "Will we be back out? Yes."