Which McDonald's mascot was introduced in 1971 as a striped-shirted thief?

The Hamburglar was introduced by McDonald's in 1971 as a striped-shirted thief.

The character was part of a larger fictional world created for McDonald's advertising. In his original portrayal, the Hamburglar was a small, mischievous figure who tried to steal hamburgers, especially from Ronald McDonald. His black-and-white striped clothing, cape, gloves, and exaggerated speech made him visually distinctive.

McDonald's later redesigned the character into a younger-looking figure with a more conventional speaking style. The Hamburglar appeared in commercials, restaurant displays, packaging, and promotional merchandise for decades.

The Hamburglar is often confused with other McDonaldland characters. Grimace was a large purple character, Birdie represented breakfast foods, and Mayor McCheese was a civic-style character with a cheeseburger head. Their different roles helped McDonald's build a recognizable cast around its brand.