Which McDonald's character was created as a burger-stealing masked villain?

The Hamburglar was created as McDonald's burger-stealing masked villain.

The character became part of the McDonaldland advertising cast and was recognizable for his black-and-white striped clothing, cape, gloves, and mask. His defining behavior was trying to steal hamburgers, especially McDonald's signature products, while Ronald McDonald and the other characters pursued him.

The Hamburglar's original appearance was more sinister and adult-looking than the later version. McDonald's redesigned him in the 1980s as a smaller, more childlike character, with a friendlier appearance and a simpler costume. This change reflected the company's effort to make its fictional world more approachable for young audiences.

The character's name is a pun combining “hamburger” and “burglar.” He is sometimes mixed up with Grimace, but Grimace was generally portrayed as a large, friendly purple character rather than a masked thief.