McDonald’s hamburger-stealing character introduced in the early 1970s was the Hamburglar.
The Hamburglar became part of McDonaldland, McDonald’s fictional advertising world populated by recurring characters. His defining trait was an obsession with stealing hamburgers, particularly McDonald’s burgers, which made him a comic foil for Ronald McDonald and the other characters.
The character’s design changed substantially over time. Early versions looked more sinister and were dressed in striped clothing, gloves, and a broad-brimmed hat. A later redesign made the Hamburglar shorter, younger-looking, and more playful for children’s advertising.
The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland villain associated with Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. The two characters represented different products and had different costumes and story roles.