That's weird and sad to lose the tritap extension cord. I've lost cords, mics, guitar stands, mic stands. The oddest is getting traded or switched out; like a beater 58 for once of my new ones, or getting a crappy mic stand for one of my DR.
is there no stage tech around during tear down?
I've had things get grabbed out of my F150 truck bed. I've taken to labeling a piece of glow green gaff tape with a sharpie, writing "faulty" or "needs repair" on anything I have to leave in the truck bed as I go get a burger or something.