CALGARY -- Mounties seeking to arrest a pair of Alberta suspects were glad when this trail went cold.

Charges have been laid against two Medicine Hat men after police tracked them down with a Slushee.

Redcliff RCMP, who were patrolling the community at 5 a.m. on Jan. 1, attempted to stop a vehicle seen driving without its lights on.

The vehicle did not stop and fled from police.

Officers did not pursue the vehicle but soon found it abandoned, stuck in the snow at the end of a rural road, about 20 minutes later.

A subsequent search of the vehicle discovered a number of break-in instruments and a small quantity of stolen property police say was taken from another motor vehicle during an earlier incident.

Police also located a partially consumed Slushee that was still frozen. This led investigators to check on surveillance video taken at a number of local stores.

Investigators soon found footage of the suspects buying the drink shortly before the attempted traffic stop, which then led to police identifying two suspects.

Benjamin Gregory Boyd, 26, of Medicine Hat, was charged with:

Flight from peace officer

Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle

Operation of a motor vehicle while prohibited

Tony Curtis Bear, 34, of Medicine Hat, was charged with:

Two counts of possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000

Possession of break-in instruments

Redcliff RCMP obtained warrants to arrest both men on Jan. 29.

Boyd was found at the Drumheller Institution, where he had been placed after being arrested for an unrelated parole violation on Jan. 24.

Bear was located at the Calgary Remand Centre, where he had been arrested for unrelated matters.

Court dates for both men have not been set.