Which McDonald's character was known as the chain's burger-stealing masked thief?

The Hamburglar was McDonald's burger-stealing masked thief character.

The Hamburglar became one of the best-known figures in McDonaldland advertising. His recurring role was to try to take hamburgers, especially Big Macs, while Ronald McDonald and the other characters stopped or chased him.

The character's design changed over time. The early Hamburglar had a more complex, older appearance, while the later version was shorter and dressed in a simplified black-and-white outfit with a red cape. These redesigns made the character easier for children to recognize.

The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland character associated with Filet-O-Fish promotions. Their products and costumes were different, even though both served as comic villains in the advertising world.