The Louvre Museum in Paris reopened its Galerie d’Apollon (Gallery of Apollo) to visitors on Wednesday, nine months after jewellery worth millions was stolen in a brazen heist.

But the gallery, which once housed France’s crown jewels, reopened without any on display.

“This is an iconic space within the Louvre, but it will no longer house the Crown Jewels and gemstones, which are to be displayed in secure areas elsewhere in the museum”, said the museum’s director, Christophe Leribault.

The heist took place on 19 October when masked thieves used a truck with a set of mechanical ladders mounted on it to gain access to the gallery via a balcony.

Police have arrested four people who prosecutors allege are the thieves – but the stolen items have still not been recovered.