The Hamburglar is the McDonald's character known as a striped-shirt burglar who steals hamburgers.
He was introduced as part of McDonaldland, the fantasy setting used in McDonald's advertising. The character's early design was darker and more sinister, but later versions became smaller, friendlier, and more cartoon-like for children.
The Hamburglar is often confused with other McDonaldland figures. Grimace was associated with milkshakes in his original concept, while Captain Crook was a separate seafood-themed character. The Hamburglar's defining trait was his obsession with taking hamburgers, usually expressed through his name and costume.
His visual design changed substantially over the decades, but the striped clothing and burger-stealing identity remained the core of the character. McDonald's reduced the use of many McDonaldland figures in later advertising.