Police have launched a manhunt for a middle aged woman who allegedly stole a toddler from a 29-year-old woman in Soweto on Friday.

According to the police, the mother of the child claims that an unknown middle aged woman who introduced herself as Matsidiso – a relative to her children’s father - entered her home and said she was looking for the kids.

“The mother  told Matsidiso  that one of her kids was not yet back from school while her 10-year-old boy was playing at a neighbour's house,” said police spokesperson Sgt Khalipha Mvula.

“The  woman (Matsidiso)then left and  a short while later came back with the 10 year old boy. Matsidiso succeeded in convincing the unsuspecting mother to allow her to leave with the 10-year-old boy as well as the toddler for a visit to her place of residence in Protea South, zone 6.”

He said the 10-year-old returned after an hour and told his mother that Matsidiso had instructed him to go home after they arrived at a house in Protea South, Zone 6.

“Upon the mother's visit to the house where the 10 year old boy indicated as the house he left the woman and the toddler  they found out that the woman had vanished without a trace with the toddler,” Mvula said.

He said a case of child stealing is being investigated and that a manhunt has been launched in a bid to track down the woman.