A Pine Lakes homeowner confronted the prowler early Tuesday morning, struggled with the man and shot him.

PINE LAKES – A homeowner in the Pines Lakes area of east Lake County shot and killed a man who detectives believe was in the middle of an ambitious burglary spree in the neighborhood.

According to a press release from the Sheriff's Office, deputies received a report early Tuesday morning of a burglary in progress at a residence at 40724 Dee Street, which is about five miles east of Paisley and 12 miles northeast of Eustis.

The homeowner told deputies he had been staying across the street at his father's house while his own home was being renovated. The man called 911 about midnight to report an intruder, but deputies found no one and left. The man then decided to return to his empty house in case the prowler returned.

About 5 a.m., he heard a noise outside by his shed, went outside and confronted the prowler. A struggle ensued, and the homeowner shot the prowler, officials said.

The suspect, who was identified Tuesday afternoon as Brandon Allen Woods, 27, died. The homeowner was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries he suffered during the scuffle. He was still hospitalized late Tuesday morning, although the nature and extent of his injuries wasn't known.

Deputies found the lock on the shed had been cut off and they discovered a pile of items nearby. They speculated that those items had been stolen in that and other burglaries and that Woods was returning to carry them away when he was surprised by the homeowner.

A sheriff's spokesman said a number of break-ins had been reported in the neighborhood in recent days, and they believe Woods was responsible.

Sheriff's spokesman Lt. John Herrell said one neighbor told detectives she had chased Woods out of her yard the previous night.

And apparently Woods wasn't shy about his career choice. In December, he created a Facebook post indicating he had started a new job. His occupation: "Theif" (sic). Beneath the post he wrote that he was "grabbin what i can carry."

Woods was arrested in 2009 on charges of battery and burglary of a structure while armed. He was also arrested last year on a variety of drug possession charges.