The Sterling Savings Bank branch on West Stewart Avenue has been robbed for the third time in five months.

Medford officers currently are searching the area of West Stewart Avenue and Kings Highway in hopes of finding the suspect.

The robbery was reported at approximately 6 p.m.

Police said a man robbed the branch and then fled the area. It is unclear if a weapon was displayed during the robbery.

This branch was the site of two previous robberies in 2012. The first occurred in September when a man entered the bank and demanded money. No weapon was seen.

The suspect, later identified as Brett Leon Court, 37, was arrested two days later, along with his accomplice Melissa Jane Fernandez, 36. They were charged with second-degree robbery, a felony.

The second robbery happened in December just before closing time. The suspect entered the bank and handed a teller a note demanding money. Again, no gun was seen.

The man left with an undisclosed amount of cash and was last seen heading north through an alley east of the bank.

The suspect in that case remains at large.

— Chris Conrad