Which McDonald's character was presented as a burger-stealing trickster?

The Hamburglar was the McDonald's character presented as a burger-stealing trickster.

He was one of the recurring characters in McDonaldland advertising. The character's name combines “hamburger” with “burglar,” making his role immediately understandable even to young viewers. His striped clothing, cape, and exaggerated manner reinforced the playful idea that he wanted to take hamburgers.

The Hamburglar was not a real criminal figure in the restaurant's corporate identity. He functioned as a comic advertising character whose mischief created simple stories around McDonald's food and the other McDonaldland personalities.

The character is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, who was associated with Filet-O-Fish promotions, or with Mayor McCheese, a civic-themed character. Those figures had different identities and roles within the same branded advertising universe.