On 16 October 1906, Voigt was ready for his next caper.
He had purchased parts of used captain's uniforms from different shops and tested their effect on soldiers.
He had resigned from the shoe factory ten days previously.
He took the uniform out of baggage storage, put it on and went to the local army barracks, stopped four grenadiers and a sergeant on their way back to barracks and told them to come with him.
Indoctrinated to obey officers without question, they followed.
He dismissed the commanding sergeant to report to his superiors and later commandeered six more soldiers from a shooting range.
Then he took a train to Köpenick, east of Berlin, occupied the local city hall with his soldiers and told them to cover all exits.
He told the local police to "care for law and order" and to "prevent calls to Berlin for one hour" at the local post office.

He had the treasurer von Wiltberg and mayor Georg Langerhans arrested, supposedly for suspicions of crooked bookkeeping, and confiscated 4002 marks and 37 pfennigs - with a receipt, of course (he signed it with his former jail director's name).
Then he commandeered two carriages and told the grenadiers to take the arrested men to the Neue Wache in Berlin for interrogation.
He told the remaining guards to stand in their places for half an hour and then left for the train station.
He later changed into civilian clothes and disappeared.
On 16 October 1906, Voigt was ready for his next caper. He had purchased parts of used captain's uniforms from different shops and tested their effect on soldiers. He had resigned from the shoe factory ten days previously. He took the uniform out of baggage storage, put it on and went to the local army barracks, stopped four grenadiers and a sergeant on their way back to barracks and told them to come with him. Indoctrinated to obey officers without question, they followed. He dismissed the commanding sergeant to report to his superiors and later commandeered six more soldiers from a shooting range. Then he took a train to Köpenick, east of Berlin, occupied the local city hall with his soldiers and told them to cover all exits. He told the local police to "care for law and order" and to "prevent calls to Berlin for one hour" at the local post office.
He had the treasurer von Wiltberg and mayor Georg Langerhans arrested, supposedly for suspicions of crooked bookkeeping, and confiscated 4002 marks and 37 pfennigs - with a receipt, of course (he signed it with his former jail director's name). Then he commandeered two carriages and told the grenadiers to take the arrested men to the Neue Wache in Berlin for interrogation. He told the remaining guards to stand in their places for half an hour and then left for the train station. He later changed into civilian clothes and disappeared.
Wilhelm Voigt