Legal Question in Civil Litigation in New York

I met a girl online (I live in NY, she is in CT) and we had hung out a couple of times. I made the mistake of loaning her $180 for a bathroom counter from Ikea that I purchased on my debit card (in CT). She never paid it back, and I later found out she also used my name to open up an electric bill account for her new apartment (thankfully I got that sorted with the electric company and didn't have to pay it). She sent me a really nasty text message after me contacting electric company calling me names and saying "have fun paying the bill!" That was the last contact between either of us. My question is, is there any possible way to get this money back as I am out of work and to me, right now, $180 is a big deal. If I emailed her just for sole purpose of collecting this debt could that backfire or get me in trouble in anyway i.e. harrasement? Is it possible if can obtain date, location, and time of purchase that Ikea could track item for bin # and then I could contact her landlord to prove that very counter is in her apartment (landlords apartment) or can it just become a she said/ she said (as she said it was a gift, I say she agreed verbally she was borrowing it and would indeed repay it) sort of thing, therefore I have no way of ever seeing this money again. I should also mention that she is already on probation for stealing - prehaps I should just contact her PO? Please help. I also worry about taking it too far, as she doesn't seem all that stable, and am in some ways worried for my own well being.

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