A bungled break-in lead to a tense situation on Plympton Street Friday night that ended with a shivering sophomore's freedom hung in the balance.

A staff writer for the Harvard Lampoon, a semi-secret Sorrento Square social organization which used to occasionally publish a so-called humor magazine, was caught trying to vandalize The Harvard Crimson building.

Just a little after 10 p.m., as an event at The Crimson was ending, Crimson security personnel discovered Daniel Chun '02 on the roof of The Crimson carrying the remains of a Thursday night lobster dinner.

Chun was taken captive by Adam S. Cohen '01 and placed under surveillance by Crimson editorial chair Noah D. Oppenheim '00.

A high-powered conference ensued on the Crimson's roof as Lampoon executives pleaded for their incompetent henchperson to be set free.

While Chun's getaway car driver paced on Plympton Street, Crimson President Joshua H. Simon '00 offered to return Chun to Lampoon President Matthew C. Warburton '00 for a modest price.

Warburton, though, was unwilling to negotiate, and said he didn't care if Chun was ever returned, according to Simon.

Warburton remembers differently. He characterized the discussion as "amicable."