The Hamburglar is McDonald's character portrayed as a striped-shirt hamburger thief.
The Hamburglar became part of the McDonaldland cast and was defined by his attempts to steal hamburgers. His striped clothing, cape, gloves, and exaggerated manner made him visually distinct in television commercials and other McDonald's promotional material.
The character was designed as a playful, non-serious troublemaker for children's advertising. Ronald McDonald and other McDonaldland figures commonly appeared in stories where the Hamburglar's schemes were discovered or stopped.
The Hamburglar's look changed over time. Early versions were more adult-looking and spoke differently, while a later redesign made him smaller and more childlike. Those changes can make historical images look unlike the character remembered from later advertising.