What was the name of McDonald's thief-like character introduced in 1971?

McDonald's thief-like character introduced in 1971 was the Hamburglar.

The Hamburglar was created as part of the expanding McDonaldland cast, a group of colorful characters used to make McDonald's advertising more imaginative and appealing to children. His defining trait was an obsession with hamburgers, which he tried to steal in comic stories.

The original character had a more sinister appearance, with a small figure, striped clothing, cape, and exaggerated features. McDonald's later redesigned him into a younger-looking character with a friendlier appearance. The redesign helped align the mascot with the playful tone of later family advertising.

The Hamburglar is often confused with other McDonaldland characters. Grimace was associated with shakes, while Birdie the Early Bird promoted breakfast. Ronald McDonald served as the central mascot. These characters belonged to the same fictional advertising world, but the hamburger-stealing role specifically belonged to the Hamburglar.