Do you need circumstantial evidence to prove you stole something?

I inherited a 1942 Ford gpw vehicle that is all there and original from my grandad that's had it since the 1960s and it doesn't have a title but it sat for a while in my back yard under a barn but I'm afraid someone might have looked at the VIN on the gpw and remembered it and registered it under his or her name. Antique cars do not require titles in Arkansas and that's where i live at. What if someone remembered the VIN on your 80 year old car that never left your property and registered it before you and then they reported it stolen. Would they have to have circumstantial evidence to prove your guilty?

If that vehicle was given to you by whomever handled your grandfathers estate you have proof it is yours, not something stolen.

Not sure though why it has no title.

You should have some documentation showing your grandad gave it to you. If not, you should contact your DMV and get it registered immediately.

You are innocent until proven guilty, that means the other person would have to convince the police they are the owner. That would take more than a fraudulent registration.

You have to report something stolen if the item is stolen. I'm assuming if your car is stolen you have to report it as stolen! You can't just wait 30 years and pick a car that looks like yours and say oh that's my car and try to send the police to pick it up. Now the exception to that rule is going to be if your great grandfather purchased an automobile and it disappeared and they have the original title that is still registered with the DMV. And they locate the vehicle years later they might be able to see you in a civil court of law to recover the vehicle. But you can't run to the law 20 years after the fact and claim the vehicle is stolen and expect the police to act on that. That statute of limitations applies and it may apply in civil cases also

Not necessarily, in reality.

I'm not sure where you got your information, but you actually do need a title or bill of sale when you register your car with the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA). You need to verify the car year, model and VIN number.