The McDonaldland character originally portrayed as an evil creature who stole hamburgers was the Hamburglar.
The Hamburglar was introduced as a mischievous antagonist in McDonald's advertising. Early versions of the character had a more sinister appearance and were portrayed as a small villain whose main goal was to take hamburgers. His striped clothing and distinctive speech made him easy to identify in commercials and promotional material.
Over time, McDonald's softened the character's image. The Hamburglar became more child-friendly and was presented as a playful prankster rather than a frightening villain. His design and personality changed substantially across different advertising eras.
The character's name is a wordplay combination of “hamburger” and “burglar.” He is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland antagonist associated with Filet-O-Fish promotions, but the Hamburglar's defining behavior was stealing hamburgers.