A MAN who has been sent bullets in the post in an apparent death threat has placed the matter in the hands of the Italian police.

Danilo Restivo, 37, was sent two 6cm brass cartridges in a transparent bag and an accompanying letter to his home in Charminster.

The bullets and letter apparently relate to the disappearance of Italian schoolgirl Elisa Claps in September 1993.

The Echo understands that Italy’s anti-Mafia police in Salerno are now investigating the alleged threat.

Elisa, who lived in the same Italian town as Mr Restivo, disappeared aged just 16. She has never been found.

Mr Restivo, an Italian national, was later sentenced in Italy for perjury.

Magistrates said they weren’t satisfied with his explanation for his whereabouts on the day Elisa had disappeared. It has been claimed he was the last person to see Elisa Claps.

At his home in Chatsworth Road, Mr Restivo refused to talk about receiving the bullets in the post with the Daily Echo.

But his wife Fiamma said: “We have placed the matter in the hands of the Italian police and the English police. We don’t want to say any more about it.”

Neither Mr Restivo nor his wife offered any reason as to why anyone might want to harm him.

However, Mr Restivo sent a photograph by email of himself holding the bullets to an Italian newspaper, Il Quotidano and exchanged emails which the paper featured as a story last month.

In 2004 the Daily Echo revealed that the anti-Mafia police were involved in the investigation of Elisa Claps’ disappearance.

Mr Restivo has consistently denied knowing anything about her whereabouts.