I don’t recall ever removing the ladder on a “starter crew” as we called it when assigned to getting one away. The crew would need it wherever they landed - even back at base. We certainly didn’t have a stack of removed ladders back in the line huts.
We didn’t have SMG toting guards wandering about near the aircraft either, not even on QRA. Just the odd plod with his dog and the ammunition for his Browning Hi-Power pistol wrapped up in grease proof paper.