The McDonald’s character known as a burger-stealing thief was the Hamburglar.
The Hamburglar was one of the best-known residents of McDonaldland, a fictional advertising world used by McDonald’s from the early 1970s. His central comic idea was simple: he wanted to steal hamburgers, especially the brand’s signature burgers. That behavior created a recurring conflict for commercials without making the character genuinely threatening.
The character’s design changed over time. The early version was shorter and more childlike, while the later version wore a black-and-white striped outfit, a cape, and a broad-brimmed hat. His speech was often portrayed as difficult to understand, reinforcing his cartoon personality.
The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland figure. Captain Crook was associated with Filet-O-Fish sandwiches, whereas the Hamburglar focused on hamburgers. Both were fictional thieves, but their visual identities and targets were different.