Verdict:
Teamfe, to me it sounds like you are somewhat guilty of ignoring an admin/mod. Bl4ck legitimately thought you were in there griefing, and considering that you broke a block to get in, and ruined redstone with water, and were taking from chests... I can see why he thought that.
Secondly, taking from the chests, while technically is somewhat cj's fault for not locking them, it is also considered kindof douchey (by cj himself). He isn't so concerned about what you took, but about the act. And to clarify, there isn't more weight on the act simply because it is a staff member's chest. I am declaring you not guilty of stealing, though cj could claim that you were being a douche if he wanted to do so.
With that said, I am also declaring you not guilty of griefing.
Teamfe, you won your appeal, as you have been banned for almost 24h, and with the advice and consent of cjm721, I am removing your ban. Welcome back.
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PS: You originally said you were "pretty positive this thread will not be taken on board or even recognized whatsoever", and just wanted to note that that was incorrect. You were also concerned about our staff being above the other players, and I want to say that this is also incorrect. While they do have obvious privileges and responsibilities as staff, they are still under the rules of VillageCraft.