SAN LEANDRO, Calif. -- Working from a tip generated by the release of surveillance video tapes, San Leandro police Friday announced they had arrested a pair of teenage boys in connection with a rash of armed robberies throughout the East Bay.

Authorities did not release the name of the two -- aged 16 and 17 -- who were taken into custody over the last 24 hours.

Police said the pair had committed more than a dozen robberies of convenience stores and restaurants -- five since a surveillance videos were released on May 1. The robberies were committed in San Leandro, Hayward, Castro Valley and Fremont.

At eight businesses, the bandits held up the establishments in 90 seconds or less.

One of the videos released was from the robbery of a San Leandro Denny's. The clip showed the hooded robbers walking in and pulling out a large handgun, prompting one employee to run off.

Eventually, another employee comes over to open the register before the robbers leave with about $250. This all happened while two customers sat eating just feet away.

Another video showed the hooded men pulling out a gun while robbing a Castro Valley Quik Stop.

"They come right to the cash registers. They wait for an employee to come up, then one individual will pull a handgun from his waistband while the other goes for the money in the cash drawer," explained San Leandro Police Lt. Tom Overton.

Police said the same men robbed another San Leandro market.

"He just came and showed me the gun and said open the register. I said 'What happened?' He said 'I need money,'" remembered store clerk Buntui Sherma.

Police said the new robbery trend may have been inspired by last month's takeover-style robberies in Oakland and Emeryville, but do not believe the suspects are linked.