Which McDonaldland character was originally portrayed as a thief who stole hamburgers?

The Hamburglar was originally portrayed as a thief who stole hamburgers in McDonaldland advertising.

The character debuted in 1971 as part of McDonald's fictional advertising world. His early design was more sinister and adult-looking than the later version, which became a small, childlike figure wearing a striped outfit and cape.

The Hamburglar's name is a pun combining “hamburger” with “burglar.” His recurring role was to pursue or steal hamburgers, creating a simple comic conflict for commercials and other promotional material.

A common mix-up is identifying the character as a real historical criminal or as the mascot of another food brand. The Hamburglar was entirely fictional and was created for McDonald's marketing. His design changed substantially during the 1970s, so photographs from different periods can look like different characters.