Abstract: The research subject is the reasons and conditions of committing a crime specified in article 158.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia, scientific analysis of the problem and statistical data. The author of the article divides the reasons of crimes in question into general reasons and specific reasons. As general reasons, the author considers foreign-policy and internal impacts, corruption, legal nihilism and the weakening of particular value orientations. As specific reasons, the author considers those caused by faults in the work of particular services and companies, malpractice, failure to fulfil responsibilities and to protect the shopping facility. The research methodology is based on the following methods: analysis and comparison, logical interpretation, and the dialectical method. The scientific novelty of the study consists in the fact that the author attempts at analyzing the reasons and conditions of committing a crime specified in article 158.1 of the Criminal Code of Russia, and gives their classification. The author studies the current state of larceny. The author gives positive assessment to the position of the legislator in relation to the introduction of responsibility for petty larceny committed by a person under administrative penalty. The author explains the statement that reasons and conditions are not equal terms, but they are closely connected, and this connection manifests itself in their interaction.