TWO convicted fraudsters who fooled change machines into converting Hungarian coins into a total of £35,000 are being sought by police.

Laszlo Berki, 32, and Renata Fejer, 26, both from Wembley, trawled more than 300 supermarkets across west and north London to exploit a flaw in Coinstar automated change-counting devices that accepted a forint – a Hungarian coin worth just 3p – as a British 10p piece.

They would pour huge amounts of the loose foreign coins into the machine and make a profit on each resulting redeemable coupon in English money, often for more than £200 a time.

They struck at store locations including those at Harrow, Wembley, Stanmore, Hendon, Alperton, and Feltham.

The Hungarian pair entered Asda in Capitol Way, Colindale, to carry out the scam on June 24 last year, but staff at the store had been made aware of a series of incidents like this and called the police.

The suspects were arrested and a knife and baseball bat were found during a search of their vehicle.

Officers discovered that a number of transactions with foreign coins had been carried out by the pair at various Coinstar machines.

Berki and Fejer, of Medway Gardens, Wembley, were charged with 13 counts of fraud by false representation.

They admitted the charges at Harrow Crown Court on November 11, having asked for a further 296 offences to be considered, and were both found guilty of possession of a knife blade or sharp pointed article in a public place. But the duo failed to appear for sentencing on January 9 and a warrant was issued for their arrest.

Officers from Brent’s criminal finance team attended a forfeiture hearing at Hendon Magistrates’ Court on January 24, and an order for £6,114.38 was issued.

Case officer PC Stephen Bourne, said after the hearing: “I would like to hear from anyone who may know of any of Laszlo Berki and Renata Fejer’s whereabouts. Anyone with information should call 101. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.”

WHERE THEY CONNED COINSTAR

Colindale on June 24 2013 for £161.76

Harrow on June 19 2013 for £211.63

Feltham on June 19 for £213.81

Hendon on June 17 2013 for £213.53

London on June 17 2013 for £214.12

Feltham on June 11 2013 for £159.35

Isleworth on June 11 2013 for £214.48

Wembley on June 10 2013 for £160.55

Stanmore on June 6 2013 for £161.29

Alperton on June 6 2013 for £160.22

Feltham on May 11 2013 for £160.95

Feltham on April 22 for £160.56

Feltham on April 15 for £161.07