Snow helped Missoula authorities arrested 22-year-old Elwood Fredrick on Wednesday night after suspicions from Fredrick's stepmother that he was responsible for stealing her jewelry.

"At first he said nah, I don't know what you're talking about" says Missoula County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Jason Johnson, "but they looked at the bottom of his shoes and matched his shoe prints to prints that were found in the snow at the scene. So after he was confronted with that information he admitted to it and we were able to recover about $2,000 dollars worth of jewelry for the victim."

After admitting to the crime, Johnson says Fredrick claimed to have gone to the home for "food and alcohol," but then decided to go into the bedroom to take the jewelry.

Fredrick was taken to jail and will likely appear in court Thursday Dec.13 for felony theft and burglary.

More From Newstalk KGVO 1290 AM & 98.3 FM