OAKLAND, Calif. -- A second suspect has been detained in connection with at least one in a series of six takeover robberies at Oakland restaurants in the past month, police spokesman Roland Holmgren said Wednesday.

Speaking at a news conference on the steps of Oakland City Hall, where he was joined by Oakland City Council members Ignacio De La Fuente and Jean Quan as well as Assistant Police Chief Howard Jordan, Holmgren said the second suspect is a 22-year-old Oakland man who was arrested on charges unrelated to the recent string of robberies.

Holmgren said police believe the man, who is in custody, is connected with the robbery at Milano Ristorante at 3424 Grand Ave. in Oakland on April 13 but he hasn't yet been formally arrested in connection with that incident.

Earlier Wednesday, 16-year-old Tanom Domingue of Oakland was arraigned in adult court on five counts each of robbery and false imprisonment in the Milano robbery.

Domingue, who has a lengthy juvenile record, including a conviction for participating in a robbery in Vallejo in which someone was shot, was arrested last Friday.

Holmgren said Domingue "has made admissions" about his involvement in the Milano incident.

Holmgren said police have identified two additional suspects in connection with at least some of the robberies and he believes they may be arrested soon.

Prosecutors say they are trying Domingue as an adult because of the seriousness of the crime. Wednesday night, the boy's father spoke to KTVU Channel 2 exclusively on the condition that his identity not be revealed.

"The district attorney just wants to satisfy the blood letting. People want blood and he was the first person to get caught," said Domingue's father.

The single father told KTVU that police searched his home and removed a hoodie and a beanie. He looked at the Milano surveillance tape and said his son had been sent to a Pennsylvania school for juvenile offenders after being convicted for his involvement in the Vallejo armed robbery two years ago.

He returned home for Easter, but was reluctant to go back, saying he wanted to be close to his family. He described his son as a follower who hung around with older boys and may have fallen in with the wrong crowd.

Domingue's father told KTVU that if his son is guilty, he should pay the price, but he hopes there isn't a rush to judgment: "I'm never going to give up on him. I might be disappointed with some of the decisions he's made [but] he will always be my son."

The 16-year-old Domingue is due back in court Thursday so he can have an attorney appointed to his case.

Holmgren said police are looking at common denominators in the string of robberies, which began on March 31, and are trying to determine if the same suspects are responsible for all the incidents.

De La Fuente said police officials, the office of Mayor Ron Dellums and several council members met with Oakland merchants today to let them know that the city is working hard to solve the crimes and create a safe environment for their businesses.

De La Fuente, who is president of the City Council, said, "The merchants are tired of this increase in crime."

However, De La Fuente said merchants aren't yet satisfied with the city's response and complained about the Police Department's response to 911 calls.

He said merchants say that police don't respond to their calls fast enough and 911 dispatchers are impolite and unprofessional.

De La Fuente said city officials are working with the Police Department to try to improve the response to 911 calls.

Dellums didn't attend Wednesday's meeting because he's in South Africa and won't be back in Oakland until next week.

In a statement issued by his office Wednesday, Dellums said he is "extremely pleased with the work of the Oakland Police Department" in arresting Domingue and detaining the second suspect.

Dellums said, "These robberies are absolutely unacceptable and these individuals must be held accountable for their actions. Everyone in Oakland - residents and merchants alike - deserves safety and security."

Holmgren said Oakland police believe that the six recent takeover robberies at restaurants in the city are unrelated to similar recent incidents in Berkeley, Emeryville and San Leandro.

He said the chances that the robberies in the other nearby cities are related to the Oakland incidents are "slim" but the possibility that they all are linked can't be ruled out.