"Violent" incidents are on the rise at Target stores, costing millions, CEO says

Target is witnessing a rise in "violent" incidents at its stores that is costing the retailer hundreds of millions each year, CEO Brian Cornell said on Wednesday.

The retailer isn't alone in experiencing an increase in thefts and other problems, Cornell said on a conference call to discuss Target's most recent quarterly earnings. "[T]heft and organized retail crime are increasingly urgent issues, impacting the team and our guests and other retailers," he noted. 

Shoppers are sometimes "in harm's way," he added.