Police are warning a dangerous TikTok trend could be linked to the recent death of a 12-year-old NSW boy.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb told The Daily Telegraph the trend involves boys from 10 to 14 allegedly stealing cars and it is "spreading like wildfire".

The children seem to be gathering in groups to allegedly steal the cars and video themselves taking a joyride.

Regional and suburban police officers are now encountering this chilling behaviour daily, according to Commissioner Webb, with at least four incidents in the last month ending in crashes.

"These are babies behind the wheel. The risks to the community and themselves is extreme," she said to The Daily Telegraph.

"In one case we had four children in a car, one child had the pedals to control the speed and the other child had the steering wheel for visibility so they were relying on each other."

NSW Police Detective Acting Inspector Jason Hogan told The Daily Telegraph crash investigators were looking into whether the latest crash could be linked to the TikTok trend.

Boy found dying at house following car crash

Police are investigating if the death of the 12-year-old found at a property in Balgownie, a suburb of Wollongong, was connected to a nearby crash where the occupants fled the scene.

At around 1.35am on Tuesday, a Holden Barina was travelling north on Memorial Drive when it crashed into a traffic control light at an intersection, NSW Police said.

"The bang was just so loud," a neighbour told 7News.

Then at 2am, emergency services responded to reports of a 12-year-old boy with “significant injuries” at the Balgownie home.

The boy was treated by paramedics and taken to Wollongong Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.

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A crime scene was established at the crash site and the home.

“Police are investigating if the child’s death is linked to the crash,” NSW Police said on Monday.

Anyone with information or dashcam footage relevant to the crash, or how the child was injured, is urged to contact Wollongong Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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