An 18-year-old woman has been sentenced to eight years behind bars for stealing a six-week-old baby at a shopping centre in Polokwane, Limpopo.

Anna Matjila was sentenced by the Mokopane Regional Court on Tuesday.

"Her case was heard and she was ultimately sentenced to eight years," said police spokesperson Const Maphure Manamela.  

The baby's 24-year-old mother had allegedly been befriended by the woman, who had accompanied her while she was shopping at the centre.

"The mother then bought food and invited the stranger to join her, but she turned her down. The suspect offered to hold the baby instead so that the mother could eat. Later ... they went to another supermarket‚ the suspect still carrying the baby. Without the mother noticing‚ the suspect disappeared with the infant‚" police said earlier.

Matjila was later arrested with her boyfriend. "The case against her boyfriend, aged 23, was withdrawn pending further police investigations," said Manamela. 

The couple was arrested at Ga-Mphela village outside Polokwane by a task team during a sting operation in April. The kidnapped child was found with them, unharmed.