ELIZABETH -- A suspended Union County police officer was indicted on charges of theft and official misconduct for allegedly using fake bar codes to make purchases at stores, stealing an estimated $650 worth of merchandise, authorities said.

A Union County grand jury also indicted Blake Clay, 33, of Rahway, on a charge of theft by deception, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park said Monday. She said all the charges are third degree crimes.

Clay went to Walmart and Target stores in Clark, Edison, Linden, and Woodbridge multiple times from early February through late April and used counterfeit barcodes to significantly lower the prices of various items, the prosecutor said.

On more than 10 occasions, Clay allegedly picked up items ranging in price from $15.99 to $39.99, authorities said.

When he switched the bar codes, the items rang up at the register from $1.50 to $4.50, authorities said.

Clay was served with a summons in May and was suspended from the police department without pay, authorities said. He was earning an annual salary of $83,308, according to state records.

The charges resulted from an investigation of the Special Prosecutions Unit in the prosecutor's office, Park said.

Third-degree charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison upon conviction.

Attempts to reach Clay for a comment were unsuccessful.

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.