Serbia. French kidnappers claim abduction was part of a paternity scam.

[Eleanor]

I hope you are managing to cope, Michel, and getting some legal assistance.

The two little girls are safe which is the most important thing.

[John]

A great story and thanks to everyone who have contributed and helped with translations.

If ever we needed a reality check this case was it. This sort of thing goes on in third-world back-waters all the time but for it to be attempted in broad daylight in the middle of Europe is astonishing. 

The kidnappers obviously thought that by sticking on stolen Romanian plates that they would defeat any police chase but thankfully they misjudged the Serbian ability to track vehicles.

Time will tell whether there is any truth in the paternity story or whether this fiasco was simply a child trafficking abduction gone wrong.