Which McDonald's mascot was known for stealing hamburgers in the 1970s?

The Hamburglar was McDonald's mascot known for stealing hamburgers in the 1970s.

The Hamburglar was introduced as part of McDonaldland, the fictional advertising world McDonald's developed for family marketing. Early versions of the character were small, mischievous, and dressed like a burglar, with a black-and-white striped outfit and a cape. His recurring story was simple: he wanted to take hamburgers, while Ronald McDonald and the other characters tried to stop or outwit him.

His name combined “hamburger” with “burglar,” making the character's role immediately understandable to children and international audiences. The Hamburglar appeared in television commercials, promotional material, and restaurant-related merchandise alongside characters such as Grimace and Mayor McCheese.

Later redesigns made the character younger and more cartoon-like, replacing some of the eerie features of the original version. The Hamburglar is sometimes confused with Captain Crook, another McDonaldland villain whose stories centered on Filet-O-Fish sandwiches rather than hamburgers.