Officers arrested Leon Luster, 22, and Rachaan Lamonthe, 30, both of Oakland. Police believe them to be the ringleaders

Officers arrested Leon Luster, 22, and Rachaan Lamonthe, 30, both of Oakland. Police believe them to be the ringleaders behind several of the recent takeover-style robberies in the East Bay that started in mid-July, police spokesman Jeff Thomason said.In addition, Hayward police Lt. Chris Orrey said the arrested men resemble suspect descriptions in the Aug. 25 robbery at the Great River restaurant on Foothill Boulevard. "There is some information that leads us to believe they may be the same men," Orrey said, "and we are working with Oakland police."
Oakland police also arrested Shante Bostic, 20, of Oakland, whom police said was the driver and Luster's girlfriend. She has no prior convictions.Luster, Lamonthe and Bostic were arrested Tuesday after an early evening robbery at K & T Nail Salon at 10814 Bancroft Ave., Thomason said. Officers responded to a call about 6:15 p.m., were given a description of the getaway vehicle, and found a matching vehicle on 73rd Avenue at Bancroft Avenue. They followed the car and stopped it on Lockwood Street.In the car, police found ski masks, a firearm, and the money stolen from the salon, Thomason said.All three suspects will be charged with four counts of armed robbery in connection with the K & T holdup. The men will be charged with illegal possession of a firearm, and face a string of other charges for previous robberies, including false imprisonment.Also, all three will be charged in connection with recent armed robberies at Kerry House bar on Piedmont Avenue on Aug. 3, the Nomad Cafe on Shattuck Avenue on Aug. 22, and Full Moon Seafood Restaurant on MacArthur Boulevard on Aug. 24, police said.Both Luster and Lamonthe — known on the street as Money Man and Snotty, respectively, police said — were on parole for prior offenses and are expected to be denied bail at their arraignment today.The three suspects are believed by police to have connections to Oakland residents David Rodriguez, 19, and Dujuan Daniels, 19, who were arrested in mid-August on suspicion of committing recent armed robberies at the Lamyx Tea Bar on Lakeshore Avenue and El Torero Taqueria on International Boulevard."These aren't guys who lost their jobs and got desperate," Thomason said. "These are people who had access to guns and get off on the thrill of robbing people."Lead investigating officer Ryan Goodfellow explained the case at a 2 p.m. news conference Wednesday.
"You guys will have to excuse me; I've been on since 6:30 yesterday morning," he said. Goodfellow could not confirm that the suspects are connected to other recent robberies in the area, but said the department is still pursuing leads, and the case is by no means closed. About a dozen businesses, mostly restaurants, have been robbed in recent weeks in Oakland and surrounding areas.Goodfellow has been working on the case with Sgt. Mike Gantt and the department's Targeted Enforcement Task Force."I'm blown away. I can't believe this; I've been watching this (expletive) about the robberies on the news," said Lamonthe's brother, who asked not to be named.
"He's got no reason to be doing nothing like this," the brother said. "He's not a drug addict, not in a bind, there's no pressure situation. He was cool, man. He missed his calling: He should have been a basketball star. He's an incredible basketball player. He don't have no reason to be robbing no restaurants. That kind of (expletive) is serious and petty at the same time, you know?"The brother said the family is totally behind Lamonthe, and that they won't believe his guilt until it is proved and that they will hire a lawyer right away.Court records show that Lamonthe has seven prior felony convictions, mostly for possession of cocaine. Two of those convictions are for first-degree burglary. In August 2006, he was accused of crashing his car into his girlfriend's car, which was full of people, court records show. According to those records, he was charged with six felony counts for the incident, but pleaded down to a single domestic abuse charge when his girlfriend, now his wife, refused to testify.He was given five years probation as part of his sentence, and records show he violated that deal when he tested positive for marijuana. He'd been wanted as a parolee at-large when he was arrested, police said.
Lamonthe will be charged as a third-striker, and faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted, police said.Luster was released on parole in June, police said, having been convicted in January 2007 for possession of ecstasy.Department sources said both Luster and Bostic gave admissions of their involvement in the robbery to police.
Christopher Waters, owner of the Nomad Cafe, praised the police work that led to the arrests and said a fundraiser at his restaurant planned for Friday night will also be held in appreciation of Oakland police. The fundraiser will include live music and runs from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the cafe, at 6500 Shattuck Ave."I know this is not a closed book, but at least it sends a message," Waters said. "Just because Oakland has problems with crime, it doesn't mean we will lay down and give Oakland to criminals."

Posted in: and Full Moon Seafood Restaurant on MacArthur Boulevard on Aug. 24,Kerry House bar on Piedmont Avenue on Aug. 3,the Nomad Cafe on Shattuck Avenue on Aug. 22