Which McDonald's mascot was designed as a thief who targeted hamburgers?

The Hamburglar was the McDonald's mascot designed as a thief who targeted hamburgers.

The character was part of McDonaldland, McDonald's fictional advertising universe. In early appearances, the Hamburglar was portrayed as a small, mischievous figure who tried to steal hamburgers, making the character an instantly understandable comic foil for Ronald McDonald and the other mascots.

The Hamburglar's appearance changed substantially over time. Early versions looked more like an old-fashioned villain, while the later version used a younger, more cartoon-like design with a striped outfit and cape. Those changes helped McDonald's keep the character visually appealing to successive generations of children.

The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland character associated with food theft. The Hamburglar's defining target was hamburgers, which is reflected directly in the character's name.