Which McDonald's character was a masked thief dressed in striped clothing?

The Hamburglar was McDonald's masked thief dressed in striped clothing.

The Hamburglar became part of McDonald's fictional character world during the early 1970s. His visual design centered on a black mask, striped clothing, and a playful obsession with hamburgers. He was presented as a mischievous, cartoon-style character rather than as a realistic criminal, making the concept suitable for family advertising.

The character's appearance changed over time. Early versions were more unusual and villain-like, while later redesigns made him shorter, friendlier, and more child-oriented. His recurring behavior gave McDonald's commercials a simple narrative device: he wanted to steal hamburgers while the other characters tried to stop or outsmart him.

The Hamburglar is often confused with Grimace, whose branding role centered on milkshakes, and Birdie, who represented breakfast. These characters occupied different roles in the McDonaldland advertising universe.