Which McDonald's character is a striped-shirt thief whose name refers to hamburgers?

The Hamburglar is the McDonald's character who is a striped-shirt thief whose name refers to hamburgers.

He was one of the principal characters in the McDonaldland advertising universe, which McDonald's introduced in 1971. Early versions of the Hamburglar were portrayed as a small, mischievous figure who tried to steal hamburgers, often from Ronald McDonald.

The character's design changed substantially over time. The early Hamburglar had a more unusual appearance and spoke in an exaggerated way, while later versions became a younger-looking character in a black cape, red tie, and striped clothing.

The Hamburglar was fictional advertising, not a representation of restaurant crime or a real company mascot from McDonald's earliest years. His role was to create comic conflict and make hamburgers central to the brand's children's storytelling.