A man suspected of attempting to steal solar lighting equipment died on Monday after falling roughly 35 metres from a high-rise billboard along Lusaka Road near the Nyayo Roundabout in Nairobi.

Passersby initially spotted the unidentified man atop the structure around 1:30am, where he appeared to be tampering with the lighting components, and alerted officers from the Industrial Area Police Station.

Responding police officers attempted to convince the man to climb down safely while awaiting assistance from the Nairobi County Fire Brigade for a rescue operation.

However, at approximately 6:30 am, before emergency responders could arrive, the man fell from the top of the billboard and died upon impact with the ground.

According to Nairobi Police Commander Issa Mohamud, officers searching the scene recovered a bag containing climbing ropes, assorted tools, and stolen solar lighting parts.

Preliminary findings suggest the deceased had climbed the billboard with the intention of vandalizing and stealing the equipment. His body was documented by police and moved to the City Mortuary for preservation as investigations to establish his identity continue.