When buying a used car (in my case, from a used-car dealer lot), how does one verify that the car is not stolen or there is not a loan outstanding on it from a bank? Does one cross-check the blue book...and if the vehicle was brought in and sold to the dealer, would the dealer be listed as the most recent owner in the book? Or do owners execute POAs in the dealers favor and therefore, the dealer can go ahead and do the transfer to a new name at the LTO? I'm just a little confused on this point.

Is there a national police registry of stolen vehicles and can one cross-check the VIN of a car against this registry?

Ask to see the blue book before purchase if there is none or it looks too new or info incomplete, etc. red flags, the dealer does not take ownership, you transfer from the last owners name..

I'd be less concerned purchasing from a dealer though and more concerned with a private sale..