Which McDonaldland character was a striped-shirt thief who tried to steal hamburgers?

The Hamburglar was the McDonaldland character portrayed as a striped-shirt thief who tried to steal hamburgers.

The character was part of McDonald’s McDonaldland advertising universe, introduced in 1971. Early versions of the Hamburglar looked more like a small, mischievous adult criminal, with a black mask and dark clothing. McDonald’s later redesigned him as a younger, more cartoon-like character with a red cape and striped clothes.

His repeated attempts to take hamburgers supplied a simple comic storyline for commercials and promotional material. The character’s name combined “hamburger” with “burglar,” making his role immediately understandable to children in many markets.

The Hamburglar is often confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland villain associated with Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. Captain Crook’s nautical theme distinguished him from the Hamburglar, whose defining trait was his obsession with hamburgers.