The Hamburglar became known as McDonald's striped-shirt burglar character in the 1970s.
The character was part of McDonaldland, a fictional setting created for McDonald's advertising. In his early form, the Hamburglar was portrayed as a small, somewhat sinister figure who attempted to steal hamburgers. His appearance and personality were later redesigned, making him shorter, more child-friendly, and easier to use in family-oriented advertising.
The Hamburglar's costume commonly included black-and-white stripes, a cape, and a wide-brimmed hat. His repeated desire for hamburgers made him a comic foil for other McDonaldland characters.
The Hamburglar is often confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland character associated with food theft. Captain Crook was linked specifically with Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, while the Hamburglar's defining obsession was hamburgers.