C’mon, Can’t You Take a Joke! : CSUN: The April Fools’ edition of campus newspaper is held for ransom. ‘Don’t call police, or we start editing,’ the kidnapers warn.

Call it the case of the disappearing ink.

All 9,000 or so copies of the Cal State Northridge newspaper’s annual April Fools’ Day edition were quickly snatched up early Thursday--make that stolen--sending staffers on a frantic paper chase.

“My initial reaction is that I don’t find it funny,” said Sundial Editor Joshua Wilner, who wrote under the nom de plume Jack Benimble for the April 1 issue. “A lot of people spend a lot of time trying to do some creative work here.”

The only clue was a typewritten ransom note that included demands such as lower condom prices in restroom vending machines, the appointment of a fraternity mascot to a top administration post, and a cardboard cutout of the late actor Vic Tayback.

“If you ever want to see your Sundials again, every one of our demands must be met,” the ransom note said.

Taking responsibility for the theft was a group called the Clock Setters Union--Northridge Militant Faction. Their primary demand, according to the ransom note, was to have all clocks on campus synchronized: “Not necessarily the correct time, just the same time.”

Warned the kidnapers: “Don’t call police, or we start editing.”

A likely story. Campus police were notified anyway.

Several hours after the papers were taken, a caller purporting to represent the group confessed. The newspapers were stashed near the trash dumpsters behind Monterey Hall. A couple of hours after that, another caller said more papers could be found at nearby Prairie Street School.

By early afternoon, the newspaper, renamed the Sindial for April Fools’ Day, was available campuswide.

Wilner said he has no idea who pulled off the heist. But he conceded it was probably someone with more than a passing knowledge of the paper’s operation.

The ransom note, for example, was found outside the Sundial’s business office, tucked into the box of flats, the original pages used by the printer to create the newspaper. Someone also knew what time the printer delivered the papers to the campus, about 3:30 a.m.

Included in the issue were just-for-fun stories, such as a campus takeover by the student body president and meeting announcements for organizations such as the campus chapter of the Branch Davidians--”Ammunition will be provided.”

“All I know is that these people called and they said, ‘Have a happy April Fools’ Day,’ ” Wilner said.

He added, “It definitely wasn’t me.”

Whoever the culprits, one university official--who has spent much of the school year answering questions about campus racism, cuts in courses and budgets, staff layoffs and fee hikes--said: “It’s good to know someone still has a sense of humor around here.”