Lost Title: 1964 Dart

I have gotten 3-4 ownerships by going to the Justice of the peace .......... and filling out an affidavit that the car has been purchased legally and to the best of my knowledge is not stolen

I don't understand this at all. If anyone could do this, anytime, anyplace, there would be no protection at all from theft of cars, and titles or other ownership docs would be meaningless