MARINE, IL (KTVI) – A Madison County man picked the wrong home to burglarize Thursday night after being sent to the hospital for a gunshot wound to the chest.

The incident happened several miles east of Marine, a village of less than a thousand residents. The homeowner, who lives on Mayer Road, woke up to find a man trying to enter his home.

Madison County Sheriff John Lakin said the homeowner had every right to protect his property – and he did.

“At this point we still don`t know what the motive was here or what the suspect was thinking,” Lakin said.

The rural property owner made no secret of the fact he had a firearm.

“When (the homeowner) saw him the first time, he realized he didn’t know who he was, so as the incident progressed and the individual didn’t leave, he continued to warn him that he had a fire arm,” Lakin said.

The sheriff said the warning did not to convince the 29-year-old suspect to leave.

“In this particular case this individual continued to try to make his way into the home and the homeowner, in fact, fired one shot striking him,” Lakin said.

The homeowner called 9-1-1 and when deputies arrived, they found the suspect lying in the yard with a gunshot wound in the upper chest. The suspect is being treated for a non-life threatening injury. Charges have not yet been filed.

“There are risks of being in certain businesses, and when you are a burglar that is a risk that you run. You may get shot,” Lakin said.

So what advice is the sheriff offering?

“If you go into a home at 12:30 in the morning, it might be time to change professions,” he said.